Adiala jail ban sparks outcry

Thousands of inmates at the Adiala jail and their visitors have been facing a great deal of inconvenience for the last week after authorities disallowed meet-ups and delivery of food items in the name of terrorism threats and heightened security. 

All types of prisoners have been prohibited from meeting their parents, children and relatives for two weeks because of ‘severe’ terrorism threats. Every day, relatives of hundreds of prisoners bring daily food, iftar and Eidul Fitr items including fresh home-cooked food and fruits to the jail but they are sent back.

Jail officials have placed a ban on family visits from March 13 to March 26. After reviewing the report from the jail superintendent, the Punjab Home Department will decide whether to lift the ban on March 26. This means that families won't be able to visit their relatives in prison until the 15th of Ramadan.

The inmates and detainees, who are brought to Rawalpindi courts for appearances in cases, have also complained of non-conducting of meetings with their families in the court’s premises. The Adiala jail currently accommodates more than 7,000 inmates against the capacity of 3,000 inmates.

The prisoners don't have enough money to buy iftar items, toiletries, fruits, and vegetables since the imposition of the ban. Consequently, their families are seen demonstrating outside the jail every day and exchanging arguments with the officials.

Prisoners from all police stations in Rawalpindi and Islamabad are housed in the Adiala jail. Their families come from far-flung regions of Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Murree, Kotli Sattian, Kahuta, Kallar Syedan, Gujjar Khan, Taxila, Bhara Kahu, and Tarnol. The central jail also houses a large number of under-trial accused and convicted prisoners from Attock, Jhelum, and Chakwal as well. The meetings will resume on March 27 if this prohibition lasts for two weeks.

According to the jail’s regulations, families can bring vegetables, fruits, pulses, dates, meat, sugar, tea leaves, cigarettes and other items. After the ban, all food items and essential items are being sold at 200 to 300% exorbitant prices in the prison. A pack of cigarettes is being charged at Rs500, a pack of juice at Rs120, and dates at Rs500 per quarter, while other tea-making items, vegetables and fruits are also being sold at high rates.

As the prisoners run out of money, iftar items including fruits, dates, and pakora are being sold at 100 to 200% expensive prices in the jail. The money will be received from the families as soon as the ban ends.

Citizens visiting their loved ones have lamented the authorities outside the Adiala jail. Naveed Akhtar says he has been visiting the jail for many days to hand over fruits, gram flour, dates, meat, and vegetables to his father in jail for iftar, but the officials are not letting him meet his father, advising him to visit the jail after two weeks.

Ashiq Mahmood said he was warned of arrest when he requested the jail administration to only deliver food items he brought if there was an imminent threat of terrorism. “Islam has given many rights to the prisoners which have been violated,” he added. He sought the intervention of the chief justice of Pakistan and the Islamabad High Court (IHC) chief justice in the matter.

On Tuesday, some prisoners, who were brought to the judicial complex courts for hearing into their cases, raised slogans against the ban and asked that the District and Sessions Judge Rawalpindi pay an emergency visit to the jail for a solution to their genuine problem. They complained that the inmates had run out of vegetables, fruits, pulses, juices and dates because of the ban. They also urged human rights organisations to take immediate notice of the situation.

When contacted, the jail administration said that the restriction would be strictly enforced until March 26 and it would be decided if the jail meetings should be resumed or the ban be continued for an additional week.

A large panaflex has been installed at the jail’s main gate to inform the visitors about the ongoing ban. However, the influential are reportedly meeting their beloved prisoners with the written permission of the concerned courts.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2024.