Supreme Court Sets Eight Grounds for Cancelling Bail in Landmark Judgment

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has identified eight legal grounds on which bail can be cancelled, ruling that the relief may be withdrawn if an accused person misuses it or interferes with the judicial process. The determination was made in a judgment authored by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar.

According to the ruling, bail may be cancelled where the original order is prima facie illegal or unjust. Other grounds include attempts by the accused to influence prosecution witnesses, tamper with evidence, or obstruct justice. The court also cited the risk of the accused fleeing its jurisdiction, interfering with an investigation, or committing a similar offence while on bail. Additionally, newly discovered facts or evidence linking the accused to the alleged crime may justify cancellation.

The judgment was issued as the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal and upheld a decision by the Sindh High Court in a case involving the death of a man in Larkana. The accused, Ali Asghar Khokhar, had been granted pre-arrest bail by the Sindh High Court on October 20, 2025, after a sessions court rejected his application.

In its observations, the Supreme Court noted that the nine-month delay in registering the first information report and the accused's alleged involvement in the incident were matters that required further inquiry. The court also directed that a copy of the judgment be sent to the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) so that allegations of illegal electricity supply and power theft linked to the case could be examined.

The ruling provides a consolidated legal framework for courts weighing requests to revoke bail, emphasising that the relief is conditional on the accused's cooperation with the judicial process rather than an absolute entitlement.