Female prisoners

Prime Minister Imran Khan this week ordered the release of all such women prisoners who have been languishing in jails for petty reasons, including the non-payment of fines. The release orders, according to a tweet by the PM himself, came after he had a meeting with the federal human rights minister and the attorney general. PM Imran has directed paying the fines from Baitul Maal and social welfare departments and secure release of women prisoners whose remaining sentence amounts to less than three years. Moreover, a timeline for a plan has been sought by the country’s chief executive to reform jails in the country.

The decision to release people, especially women who are only in jails because they cannot afford to pay their fines and return to society, is quite welcome. Our judicial system and many others around the world include imposing fines — alone or with the jail term — on the convict. If the convicts are unable to pay those fines, they are forced to spend extra time in jail. Some convicts, especially drug mules, often fall in this trap. They were too poor which is why they unwittingly participated in crime just to make some extra money. Being incarcerated, they would likely lose their income source and spend whatever savings they might have in lawyer fees and other expenses. In the end, some released from jail are often found asking their captors for bus fare to reach home.

However, the one concern with the directive is that the decision was made in light of the Supreme Court orders issued in April. That order had told the government to not just release women, but also juveniles, prisoners suffering from a physical or mental illness, under-trial prisoners (UTPs) who are 55 or older and who have not been convicted in the past. It is hoped that the ‘movement for justice’ party, whose chairman sits in the prime minister’s office, will fully implement the top court order.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2020.

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