SC on release of prisoners

It emerged that criminal activities in affluent localities of cities had registered an increase after the release

The Supreme Court has set aside the decisions of the Islamabad High Court and the Sindh High Court to release prisoners in certain categories and order the relevant government to re-arrest them. The top court has, however, said relief should be given to prisoners accused of minor crimes and vulnerable convicts like the elderly women and children. It said such prisoners if relieved should not be rearrested. The relief is in line with the request of the attorney general. The apex court order came on a petition that challenged the decisions of the high courts. Earlier, the high courts had ordered relief of certain categories of prisoners in view of the coronavirus pandemic. The high court’s decisions were aimed at easing overcrowding in the country’s prisons.

Most jails have prisoners far in excess of their capacity with a view to making social distancing possible within prisons. The courts had ordered the release of some prisoners. But subsequent happenings proved the decision unworkable as the crime rate rose up after the release of some prisoners. It emerged that the criminal activities in affluent localities of cities had registered an increase after the release of prisoners. Earlier, the Chief Justice of Pakistan said that after the release of prisoners, certain areas of cities had witnessed a rise in robberies and muggings, implying that the situation necessitated review of the decisions on prisoners’ relief. Informed circles have also claimed that under the pretext of easing the cramped conditions in jails, those facing corruption cases too have been set free. The CJ said arrangements should be made within jails to quarantine those suspected of the coronavirus.

It is commonly observed that muggers and robbers are more active when roads and streets are deserted. Newspapers have reported that on Tuesday the police arrested two men while they were committing a burglary at a bungalow in DHA Karachi. Muggings and robberies are occurring in other cities too even during the lockdown.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2020.

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