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CJ directs probe into prison conditions

MEHMUD AHMED

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Irshad Hassan Khan has expressed alarm over the "inhuman conditions of the inmates" of prisons, and directed the Advocates-General of the four provinces for a personal probe and report to him their findings within 60 days.

His directive mainly concerns the living conditions of the prisoners in general but of those who are serving life terms under cases involving capital punishment in particular, excluding of course the cases involving narcotics, drug trafficking and terrorism.

The Chief Justice has also directed the provincial home secretaries to facilitate the Advocates-General in collection of the data. At the same time, he has issued a notice to the Attorney General and also directed the fixture of the case for May 29.

According to an order released here by the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice has acted after reading a news report about the conditions in some Punjab jails that illustrated the cases of convicts over 60 or under 16 years of age. The news, based on the recent report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, also said that nearly 43,000 prisoners were lodged in 29 Punjab jails which are meant to house not more than 17,413 prisoners.

He has also laid down six-point guidelines for the Advocates-General for their action which requires them to prepare a list of all convicts serving life term in cases involving capital punishment and to get male prisoners of above 60 years age medically examined to determine their sickness or infirmity or otherwise.

But, in case of female prisoners, the age limit has been abolished and all those falling in that category of sentence will be checked medically.

The order further said: "Medically examine all under-trial prisoners lodged in jails in cases involving capital punishment under the age of 16 years or any women or any sick or infirm person accused of such offence, also providing their dates of imprisonment.

"The number of those prisoners who are below the age of 16 years and are lodged with the adult prisoners be also supplied, so that appropriate orders may be issued for their separation from the adult prisoners and to be lodged in separate jails or cells meant for them.

" It shall also be stated with particularity, in each case, the judicial orders indicating the reasons for the rejection of their bail applications by the ultimate court in the case of under-trial prisoners."

Concluding, the Chief Justice called upon the provincial governments as well as the State to show cause why these prisoners be not released on parole or bail.