Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice Musarrat Hilali on Monday paid an unannounced visit to the Central Jail in Peshawar to assess the living conditions of the inmates, where she identified several issues and instructed the authorities concerned to address them urgently.
Justice Hilali found that the juvenile prisoners were being housed in cramped and unsanitary barracks, which exposed them to various skin diseases and the risk of infectious outbreaks. Consequently, she ordered the superintendent of the jail to relocate the prisoners to a place where all necessary facilities are available.
Furthermore, Justice Hilali directed the judicial magistrate to expedite the hearing of minor cases. The prisoners in the overcrowded barracks also complained of inadequate food and other related facilities.
The chief justice expressed her displeasure at the mismanagement of the prison and called for special measures to be taken to address the issues identified during the visit. She emphasised the need to identify areas for improvement and implement a strict follow-up mechanism to ensure the provision of basic amenities to all prisoners as per the law.
In addition to inspecting the juvenile barracks, Justice Hilali also visited the women's barracks, where she found the conditions to be satisfactory.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 11th, 2023.
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