New prisons

According to a recent report submitted in SC, there are more under-trial prisoners in Pakistani jails than convicts

The growing number of prisoners in jails reflects the state of affairs prevailing in the country. According to a recent report submitted in the Supreme Court, there are more under-trial prisoners in Pakistani jails than convicts. In the jails of Sindh, there are 4,201 convicts and over 12,000 under-trial prisoners. Prisons in the province are overcrowded where 17,239 inmates are lodged against the capacity for 13,038. Now the Sindh government has decided to construct eight new prisons in the province. One of the reasons for overcrowding is that prisoners from districts where there are no prisons are lodged in jails outside their own districts.

The government also plans to add new barracks in the existing jails to reduce the pressure on overcrowded jails. New barracks are being built at the existing prisons in Malir. Seven of the new prisons will be built in Thatta, Nawabshah, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Mithi, Kandhkot, Jamshoro, and District West in Karachi

As per the recommendations of the federal ombudsman, several projects for the welfare of inmates of the province’s jails are underway. Besides providing vocational training in several trades to inmates, English-language courses are being conducted in prisons. It is a good step to teach English to inmates, but it would be better to make them proficient in Urdu and regional languages so that they could learn ethics, which is necessary to reform prisoners. This will enable them to learn that religion upholds the value of doing good. Prisons should be places for reforming prisoners, but at present what is happening is that after coming out of prison people become more experienced criminals after having lived in the company of hardened criminals. The authorities should rectify this situation. Sometimes people facing hard times prefer to be lodged in prison because there they are fed, clothed and provided shelter and medical care for free. But only at the cost of freedom.

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

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