Jail CCTV cameras retain only 3 days’ recording: IO

SHC informed prison management has no record of inmate’s release

A startling disclosure was made in the Sindh High Court on Thursday. The court was told that the CCTV cameras installed in Karachi Central jail - a highly-sensitive area - have the capacity to retain recordings of only three days.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto and comprising Justice Abdul Mobin Lakho was hearing pleas pertaining to the recovery of missing persons.

Petitioner's counsel, advocate Haroon Sheikh, maintained that Ameen had gone missing from central jail.

The court directed that statement of the jail superintendent be recorded and also ordered a review of the record of installed cameras. The investigation officer told the court that Ameen had gone missing after his release from jail.

Justice Naimatullah inquired when was he released and whether the CCTV cameras installed at the central jail were checked for the footage. It was then that the IO made the startling revelation that the central jail management had no record of his release.

Read: SHC irked at police’s failure to recover missing persons

"Why the statement of the jail superintendent was not recorded? The jail must have a manual record of the release of the citizen?" the justice remarked.

The court sought progress report from the relevant authorities by March 9. Besides, the court sought a report from the federal interior secretary over the petitions pertaining to recovery of missing persons.

The bench expressed displeasure at the absence of a representative from the office of the attorney general and summoned the deputy attorney-general. "Forming JITs is a waste of time," Justice Naimatullah remarked. "The investigation officers are not working instead reports are being presented to the court.

The court also sought a report from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government asking it to share information about missing persons from Karachi imprisoned in its centres.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2021.