Report indicates caretaker law and prisons minister took good care of depts

New laws have been promulgated and facilities, including computer labs, have been set up at jails.

While quite a few people don’t expect caretaker government officials to shake things up considerably, it seems as if Mehmood  Mandviwalla, the provincial caretaker minister for law and prisons, doesn’t espouse this view.

A report highlighting the work done by the outgoing caretaker law minister indicates he had rolled up his sleeves and gotten right down to business, introducing training programmes for prison officials, drafting a bunch of new ordinances and sprucing up jails across the province.

Improving legislation

One of the major efforts under Mandviwalla has been the attempt to make laws accessible at the click of the mouse. Under the caretaker law minister, all provincial laws from 1827 to 2013 have been compiled and collated with amendments. This database will be available on the law department’s website and Pakistan Law House will develop a state-of-the art search tool to help people find what they are looking for.

A codification department has been set up in the law ministry. It will make sure that all legislation uploaded on the website is up-to-date and any new amendments are up on cyberspace as soon as possible.

There have been attempts to speed up the path to justice too: under the caretakers, special prosecutors have been designated so that cases involving assault on women and children can be dealt with speedily.



A number of new laws were also drafted well before newly elected legislators turned up at the Sindh Assembly on May 29. They include an ordinance to prevent thalassemia, one on the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS, another on healthcare and yet another on Hindu marriages. The Prisons Act 1894 and Prisoners Act 1900 are being reviewed as well.

For those behind bars

A number of improvements have also been introduced to boost the quality of inmates’ lives. The private sector has donated Rs50 million so that a rehabilitation centre can be established at Central Jail, Karachi. An NGO called Concern for Children will help construct the centre where vocational training will be offered.

Moreover regulations have been amended to provide remission in the sentences for inmates who enroll in and complete vocational training.

But the improvements don’t stop here: four computer labs have been opened at the Central jail and the courses offered will be certified by an educational institution. Even the women and juvenile inmates are welcome here. Similar facilities are being constructed in other jails in the province.

The private sector has also dug into its pockets so that dispensaries can be built for women and juvenile prisons. It has even provided the dental clinic on the premises with sanitising equipment.

Another improvement with a little help from friends in the private sector is the setting up of new meeting booths at jails. This will slash the amount of time visitors have to wait - sometimes up to three hours.

Better administration?

A couple of administrative changes have also been introduced: Earlier, female inmates had to be taken to the same offices as men. Now a separate block has been designated for women.

An agreement has also been signed with US government for training up to 75 prison officials in Colorado, USA. The first batch of 15 officials will leave for a three week training programme on Sunday (today). All candidates have been selected on merit from the administrative, policy, parole branches. The entire programme has been funded by the US government.

The committee for welfare of prisoners and the legal aid, headed by Justice (retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid, has been reactivated as well. It will be able to represent 2,500 inmates at one time. Before efforts were taken to bump up grants to the committee, it was only able to represent 850 inmates.

Another accomplishment is the completion of a demographic survey of prisons, taking into account factors such as gender, age, disease and drug use. The information may help improve administration as well.

New laws Promulgated and Drafted

Sindh Prevention and Control of Thalassemia Ordinance, 2013

Sindh HIV/AIDS Control, Treatment and Protection Ordinance, 2013

Prevention of Defacement of Property Ordinance, 2013

Sindh Mental Health Ordinance, 2013

Sindh Healthcare Commission Ordinance, 2013

Sindh Witness Protection Ordinance, 2013

Hindu Marriage Ordinance, 2013

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2013.