ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Wednesday directed the federal and the provincial governments to implement the recommendations contained in the federal ombudsman reports to improve female inmates’ condition.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, heard the suo motu regarding miserable condition of women in jails.
Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmad Khokhar advocate, representing federal ombudsman, informed that they had already submitted seven reports in the Supreme Court, wherein, the recommendations were made to improve the women prisoners’ condition across the country.
In view of the Supreme Court order dated 28.05.2015, the federal ombudsman had constituted a National Committee on Prisons Reforms in order to review the status of Prisons in Pakistan and to make recommendations for improving the overall condition of the jails with respect to quality of food, sanitary, cleanliness, medical and clinical facilities, violence against the prisoners, oversight mechanism, arrangements for meeting with the relatives of the prisoners visiting the jails etc.
Hafiz Ahsaan stated the reports were compiled after holding meetings with all the stakeholders. The reports contain pragmatic and practicable recommendations for improving jails’ conditions. He told that the Committee members visited important jails in all the provinces with a view to obtain factual and first-hand information about the living conditions of prisoners in jails particularly the women and children including juvenile prisoners.
However, due to the Covid-19, visits to jails have been minimised.
Hafiz Ahsaan submitted that the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat has been making strenuous efforts for the implementation of the recommendations.
He said there was a need for consistent efforts by the provincial authorities to convert jails into reformatory centers, and to ensure welfare of prisoners especially for women and children by implementing the recommendations.
The recommendations include that the provinces constitute two Committees, i.e. District Oversight Committees and Welfare Committees for improvement of life of prisoners in jails especially for children, women and destitute/Resource-less prisoners, while the District Oversight Committees to monitor the implementation of Supreme Court orders.
Law and Justice Commission together with advocates general and provincial ombudsmen to review and submit proposals for significant expansion of probation/parole facilities to reduce pressure on accommodation facilities in jails.
The probation and parole system also needs to be revisited and made more effective to deal not only with overcrowding but also for reformation of convicts, juvenile and first-time offenders.
The provincial governments build jails in every district headquarter, and the federal government in Islamabad.
Every jail should have separate and independent portion for women and juvenile prisoners.
There is a need to link biometric system in jails with courts for maintaining the record of prisoners.
Peshi roaster and jail record/registers should also be computerised/automated.
The drug users and mentally-insane prisoners be kept outside the premises of the jail in drug clinics/homes for mentally-retarded prisoners and provided medical treatment.
The hard-core/high-profile criminals such as murderers, terrorists, extortionists should be kept separate from the ordinary or under trial prisoners who are not involved in such heinous crimes.
The prisoners with HIV, Hepatitis, TB and drug addicts should be segregated and kept apart from other prisoners.
Strict surveillance should be done in jails for protecting the prisoners from physical and sexual assaults.
The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, the university falling in respective territorial area of jail, Allama Iqbal Open University, and other good reputed government institutions/organisations may be directed to assist in improving educational and skill training facilities including missing facilities/payment of fines to deserving prisoners.
The relevant ministries at the federal and provincial levels allocate necessary funds and resources for improvement in jails.
Establishment of Prisoners Voluntary Donations Fund at provincial level be ensured.
The Pakistan Bar Council and the Provincial Bar Councils provide free legal aid to the prisoners and especially, to the under-trial prisoners and for appeal purpose.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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