Commission on jail abuses seeks records of prisoners across Pakistan

Body on jail abuses submits report to IHC

ISLAMABAD: A commission formed on the direction of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to investigate into human rights violations in jails has sought records of inmates from prisons across the country.

The commission, headed by Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari, on Saturday submitted the report of its first meeting to the IHC.

During the meeting, the commission sought the records of prisoners in jails in all provinces.

It also directed jail authorities to use the Nelson Mandela Rules as guidelines for jail reforms and also submit a comprehensive report on prisoners suffering from mental illness or other diseases.

The commission also directed the authorities to speed up the process of filing mercy appeals.

On the court’s order, the health ministry officials visited Adiala Jail on December 9.

The IHC had formed the commission last month to probe into the government’s failure to fulfill its obligations and enforce the Prison Rules and the Code of Criminal Procedure regarding inmates suffering from illness.

The court’s verdict, penned by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, came on a complaint filed by a prisoner, Khadim Hussain, incarcerated at Adiala Jail. The prisoner claimed that his eyesight had been damaged because of the negligence of the jail authorities and he did not have the financial means to approach a court.

The court converted his complaint into a petition.

The commission has been assigned the task of investigating “human rights violations in the prisons of Pakistan and lack of medical assistances and obstacles in access to a court of law of prisoners who do not have means or assistance in this regard”.

It will also review the “Prisons Rules and other relevant laws with an object of fulfilling the commitments of the State of Pakistan under the Constitution, International Treatise and Conventions”.

The body will prepare proposals to deal with the human rights violations in prisons and suggest amendments to the existing law and rules.

It will also come up with proposals for appropriate governance and management systems and ensuring individual and institutional accountability.