Sindh Police demand their cut to loosen wrist-cutting handcuffs

Prisoners must often pay bribes to loosen handcuffs, chains to avoid injuries

KARACHI: Everything in Pakistan seems to depend on greasing palms. It has emerged that prisoners held at the City Court lockup often have to pay bribes prior to appearances before the court. If they do not meet this demand, their hands are so tightly cuffed or chained that they suffer deep cuts on their wrists. But if they pay bribes, their handcuffs are comfy and loose.

Suspects in Karachi are held at Karachi Central Jail, Landhi Jail, Malir Jail, and various other facilities including separate ones for women’s and juveniles.

Prisoners held at the City Court lockup are presented for hearings under the Court police’s supervision.

Human rights violations

Up to 1,000 prisoners are presented every day. Since the police have a shortage of handcuffs to accommodate such a large number of people, they often chain them up, in a violation of human rights. They are victims of oppression and brutality, and this treatment has been meted out for decades.

Prisoners have reported bleeding wrists and regularly accuse court police of the torture, but court police officials are hard to find and even harder to talk to whenever the issue comes up.



The City Court lockup in-charge, Inspector Zahoor, could not be found in his office after attempts were made to ask him about the issue. The duty officer, sub-inspector Raza, rejected the allegations, terming them lies.

Prisons IG Muzaffar Alam Siddiqi and Sindh Prisons DIG Nazir Ahmed Kazi did not respond to The Express Tribune despite repeated attempts to get their comments. The PSO to the IG Prisons, Shunail Shah, however, suggested that comments be sought from Syed Munawar Ali Shah, who is also a member of the committee that has drafted a new law on this issue.



Munwar Shah, who is presently serving as Superintendent of District Jail Mirpurkhas, told The Express Tribune that the prison law is being updated to incorporate best practices from various countries regarding the rights of prisoners. He denied that the new law will grant more facilities to already privileged people inside jails. He did, however, support increasing the powers of jails officials in the new law, saying that “incorporating best international practices in the new prison law will not only be for prisoners, but is also required administratively.”

Karachi Bar Association President Naeem Qureshi said cruelty towards prisoners cannot be tolerated, and he will contact the relevant authorities to direct their attention towards the matter. Sindh Home Department Special Secretary (Prisons) Abdul Wahab Memon declined to give his views, saying that he is not the one who handcuffs prisoners and does not know anything about the problem.



Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2019.