In the latest development in the case of Imdad Ali, a 'mentally ill' convict, a two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Anwar Zaheer Jamali received a list of 10 medical examiners from advocate general Punjab for the formation of a medical board, to assess Ali's mental state.

Death row prisoner, Imdad Ali, who is around 50 years old, was sentenced to death for the murder of a religious teacher in 2002.

His lawyers maintain Ali is unfit to be executed as he is unable to understand his crime and punishment, and that doing so would violate Pakistan's obligations under a United Nations treaty, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The court raised an objection on the fact that Ali's jail records were never created. "Imdad Ali was in jail for seven years, why was his history ticket not created?", commented Justice Ameer Hani Muslim.

"According to the law it is the duty of the jail officials to get an inmate's full mental and physical diagnosis," he added.

"If a person is not physically fit to come to court on their own two feet, a medical exam needs to be done," he commented. "If a man can not walk to their own execution, to execute them is not suitable."

"This case will impact the society greatly," said the opposing lawyer. "If Imdad Ali execution is overturned, every other prisoner on death row will question the court," he added.

The matter of the creation of the medical board will be discussed in the next court hearing to be held on Friday.

The SC accepted a plea for formation of a medical board to assess the convict's mental health on Monday and ordered the advocate general Punjab to provide names of five mental health specialists.

A three-judge bench of the apex court headed by CJP earlier stayed Imdad Ali's execution by accepting a plea seeking review of its Sept 27 judgement upholding his death sentence.