Over 46,000 under trial prisoners in Pakistani jails

Total capacity of the jails is 60,022 but the total number of people imprisoned in is 75,813

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Ombudsman Secretariat has told the Supreme Court that 46,304 under trial prisoners (UTPs) are currently detained in 113 jails of the country while the total number of convicted prisoners is 25,990.

In its 5th quarterly “implementation report” on status of improving conditions of jails in Pakistan, the secretariat said the total capacity of the jails is 60,022 but the total number of people imprisoned in them is 75,813.

The report said the Punjab Prisons Department has adopted a proper mechanism for release of prisoners on parole under Good Conduct Prisoners Probational Release Act, 1926 Rules 1927 and as per record, 1,240 prisoners have been released on parole during the last 10-years.

The report – submitted through senior legal Adviser Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmad Khokhar – said a bill to establish Punjab Probation & Parole Service has also been moved through Punjab chief minister for approval of the provincial cabinet.

The report said the Sindh Prisons Department reported that probation is the domain of courts and parole that of the home department.

Presently, some 1,189 persons are on probation in Sindh. Out of them 1,126 are male, 59 juveniles, 3 female.  Only 1 prisoner is on parole in the province. It said the process of parole was stopped in 2013 due to serious observations of the Supreme Court.



The report stated that Prison Census activity has been initiated under Khyber Pakhtunhwa (K-P) “Rule of Law Roadmap” to identify prisoners worth considering for non-custodial arrangements, ie, bail, probation and parole.

There will be regular monthly census in future and data will be shared with District Criminal Justice Coordination committees, Home Department, Prosecution and Reclamation & Probation Department.

For the purpose, data officers and computer operators working on prison census activity have been imparted two training sessions by the Justice System Support Programme (JSSP). The JSSP aims to support the government’s rule of law reforms and to improve criminal justice system performance.



The report said Balochistan Home & Tribal Affairs Department has constituted Parole Committee.

"Monthly meetings of the committee are being held. 41st Meeting of the Parole Committee was held on 02.05.2019 wherein 9 convicted prisoners were recommended to be released on Parole.

“Moreover, establishment of Reclamation & Probational Divisional Headquarters has been approved in PSDP [Public Sector Development Programme] 2019-20 at a cost of Rs.250 million" The Endowment Fund for offenders has been created with an amount of Rs.500 million.

Citing the Punjab Home Department, the report said during the last five years, respectively 878, 425 and 241 prisoners appeared in intermediate, bachelors and masters examinations held in centres established inside the jail premises by different universities in Punjab.

The K-P Prisons Department submitted that formal and religious education is being imparted to the prisoners and so far 4,756 prisoners have qualified Nazra Quran, translation of the Holy Quran, Hifz-e-Quran, Dars-e-Nizami, oriental language and intermediate, bachelors and masters during last 3 years.



Regarding free legal aide

The report stated that from 2009 to 2018, some 3,422 prisoners have been released against a fine amounting to Rs.86.96 million and 848 prisoners released against Diyat, Daman and Arsh amounting to Rs198.997 million. During the year 2019, 865 prisoners were released against fine, Diyat, Daman and Arsh amounting to Rs.272,194,852.

The report said the issue of overcrowding of jails could be addressed by construction of new jails in the respective districts and simultaneously eliminating delay in trials through the use of the latest IT tools in all areas of criminal justice system of Pakistan starting from police up-to-the highest court.

“Regular visits of the District Oversight Committees and Welfare Committees constituted by the provinces will also have a salutary effect on the living conditions of the inmates of the prisons."