272 prisoners walk out of Adiyala Jail on Eid

Convicts get advantage of remission, bail, completion of sentence

RAWALPINDI: At least 272 prisoners went home for Eid after being released from Rawalpindi’s Adiyala Jail.

Prisoners are granted remission on Eid every year. This remission, however, is not available to people convicted of terrorism, anti-state activities, murder, and other heinous crimes.

President Arif Alvi had granted special remission to convicts of various categories on the occasion of Eidul Fitr. Punjab Jails IG Mirza Shahid Saleem Baig also reduced sentence of convicts as per the constitutional powers available to him.

Adiyala Jail Superintendent Saqib Naseer told The Express Tribune that some 12 convicts got the advantage of presidential remission and got released.

Naseer said that 66 others received relief in their sentence duration on the occasion of Eidul Fitr.

Similarly, he added Prisons IG Tanveer reduced the punishment of 20 convicts, who were released too. Besides, Naseer said, five convicts were released on payment of fine by philanthropists.

These people had served their sentence and were doing extra time for nonpayment of fine. Some philanthropists paid their fine of more than Rs100,000, after which these convicts were released.

Naseer said that 30 prisoners were released on completion of sentence, while 139 went home after being released on bail.

Four Rawat gang rape suspects released

Three police constables and their friend, under arrest for the alleged gang rape of a 20-year-old student in Rawat, were released from the Adiyala Jail late on Monday evening.

Their release came after the victim had retracted her statement before the judge, stating that she had been forced by senior police officers to name the four men instead of the assistant sub-inspector who had actually committed the crime.

Following the withdrawal of the statement by the victim, the four accused got bail from the court.

A number of constables had turned up at Adiyala Jail’s gate to receive their mates who would be going home for Eid.

Meanwhile, the victim, who had kidnapped at gunpoint while out for Sehri with her friend, said that she will soon file an application against the Saddar superintendent of police for threatening to arrest and implicate her in different false cases just to protect another police officer.

Last week, a Rawalpindi civil judge had rejected the police plea to take custody of the woman who had retracted her statement of gang rape against three police constables and their accomplice.

Civil Judge Sameera Alamgir also turned down another request from the Rawalpindi police to send the complainant to the Darul Amaan where her statement could be recorded free of pressure.

The judge, instead, had warned the police of harass or pressuring the victim.

Sources have disclosed that the application stated that the victim was being harassed and barred from moving freely. Moreover, the real culprit was not nominated in the case. Instead, the names of innocent officers were inserted who was then arrested and imprisoned.

The applicant was also being forced to record a false statement.

The applicant now intends to record a statement contesting the official police charge sheet once it is presented before the court.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2019.