SHC seeks jail rolls of convicts denied parole

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed the Karachi central jail superintendent on Thursday to submit the jail rolls of two kidnapping convicts seeking release on parole, as permitted to nine other convicts.

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, who headed the division bench, also issued notices to the home ministry's reclamation and probation department.

The petitioners, Muhammad Shahid and Muhammad Zahid, had approached the high court against the alleged denial of release on parole by the home department. An anti-terrorism court had handed down death sentences, finding both the men guilty of kidnapping a man in 2004. They told the bench that the SHC had later commuted their death sentence to life imprisonment on December 1, 2005. They have served 10 years substantive sentences, excluding 15 years remissions.

The court was informed that the two men have completed Nazira Quran and other courses, while they are also imparting education to other prisoners and are thus entitled to be released on parole. The convicts complained that they had requested the home department for release under the Good Conduct Parole and Reclamation Act 1926, but the plea was turned down. After hearing initial arguments, the bench issued notices to the respondents and the provincial law officer for August 4.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2014.