CJP expands prison reforms to K-P

Chief Justice Yahya Afridi has extended the scope of prison reforms to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). Following reforms in Punjab last week, the Chief Justice announced the establishment of a subcommittee for K-P during a consultative meeting held in Peshawar.

According to a Supreme Court statement, the subcommittee will be coordinated by social activist Ayesha Bano. Other members include Provincial Assembly members Fazal Shakoor Khan and Ahmed Karim Kundi, Housing Minister Amjad Ali, and a representative of K-P's inspector general of Prisons.

The committee's mandate is to prepare a report on prison conditions in K-P, categorising inmates by the nature of their crimes.

This report will be reviewed by Justice (Retd) Qalandar Ali Khan, and combined reports from all provinces will be used to draft a national policy on prison reforms.

The meeting, chaired by Chief Justice Afridi, was attended by key officials, Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, and representatives from the K-P police, law, and justice departments. During the session, the CJP emphasised the critical need for a fair criminal justice system and a robust prison infrastructure. He praised KP's initiative of releasing 1,289 inmates held for minor offenses through camp courts and encouraged other provinces to adopt similar measures.