Suppressed voices: Women prisoners suffer deplorable conditions in Peshawar jail

Councillors vow to raise their grievances in K-P Assembly

PESHAWAR:

At least six councillors from the district visited Central Prison Peshawar on Wednesday to discuss the challenges faced by women inmates at the facility.

Insiders familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune, Salma Saeed, Aasia Khattak, Ishrat Riaz, Shehla Munir, Kulsoom Kundi and Musarrat Tariq decided to pay a visit to the facility. Jail Superintendent Masood Rehman was also present on the occasion.

The visit to the facility was planned after a request was sent by the local government representatives to the Inspector General of Prisons.

During the visit, district councillors met a large number of women inmates and asked them about their grievances. Many of them told the councillors there was a dearth of facilities at the prison for inmates who have children.

The inmates informed the district councillor there are about 110 women inmates while the facility can only accommodate 34. As a result, many inmates are in a vulnerable position.

State of disrepair

Speaking to journalists during the visit, Saeed said she was particularly distressed by the plight of women inmates.

“There is a need for shelter rooms to accommodate them,” he said. “Boarding schools should be set up for children of between the ages of six and eight. There is also a pressing need to provide recreational facilities for women. They are also human and have the right to live.”

Another councillor said a large number of women inmates are pregnant and deliver their babies at
the facility. “The condition of the hospital at the central prison is abysmal,” she said. “There is lack of proper equipment and gynaecologists. As a result, many women face countless challenges.”

The councillor narrated the experience of an inmate who delivered a child two weeks ago, but still needs surgery.

“However, no proper doctors are available,” she added.

The district councillor added inmates want a primary school to be opened at the jail.

“There used to be a school for their children,” she said. “But it was closed down due to security concerns.”

Plan of action

The district councillors have decided to raise these issues in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and stand up for the rights of women inmates.

Speaking to the media, Khattak said these concerns will be discussed with the nazim and naib nazim.

She added, “Medicines and other basic facilities will be provided to them. Our first priority is to reopen
the school.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2015.