ISLAMABAD, Feb 27: Punjab police on Thursday produced a convict before the Supreme Court, who had been released by Adiala jail authorities when his appeal against the conviction was still pending before the court.

The NWFP home secretary and the additional IG Punjab appeared in the court and produced Sher Khan, whom the jail officials had declared a juvenile and released.

For ensuring production of Sher Khan, a resident of Mianwali, the Supreme Court after passing a number of orders had to finally summon the IGP Punjab and the home secretary in person to explain why its orders were not being implemented.

After Sher Khan was produced before the court on Thursday, the court announced it would decide the appeal on March 16. Advocate General Punjab Shabbar Raza Rizvi and Assistant Advocate General Afshan Ghazanfar also appeared in the case.

Advocate Khalid Ranjha, appearing on behalf of the superintendent, Adiala Jail, asked the court to end the contempt of court proceedings against his client. The court, however, said the contempt of court proceedings against the jail superintendent would also be decided along with the main appeal on March 16.

The jail authorities had taken the plea that Sher Khan was released giving the benefit of a presidential notification issued on Dec 13, 2001. The notification had given a general relaxation to all the juveniles who had been awarded capital punishment.

Sher Khan's plea that he was a juvenile at the time of the offence was committed, was not accepted by the High Court. The Punjab government not only commuted the death sentence of Sher Khan to life imprisonment, when his appeal was still pending, it also granted 16 years remission in life imprisonment and released him from jail. The Punjab government informed the Supreme Court that an error had been committed by the district and sessions judge Mianwali.