Under lock and key : Prisons in dire need of correction

Human Rights Directorate recommends women and their babies be housed separately

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Human Rights Directorate has informed the federal secretary for law and justice that there is a dire need to establish new barracks to accommodate inmates at overburdened prisons of the province.

The directorate has suggested that measures should be taken on a war footing so that inmates are accommodated and saved from being infected by various diseases. It also suggested that women, juveniles and newborns should be housed separately.

According to officials, the apex court took notice of the condition of prisons and their inhabitants across the country. The officials said K-P’s Human Rights Directorate was assigned the task of looking into the matter and outline shortcomings at correctional facilities.

Subsequently, officials visited five major facilities and found that inmates were indeed leading a miserable life. “Central Prison Peshawar, built in 1854 for 450 prisoners, now accommodates over 2,300 inmates,” an official told The Express Tribune.



He said besides men and juveniles, women, including pregnant ones, were also inmates at the overcrowded facility. Some women are even breastfeeding and the adults pose a serious threat to the newborns. It was suggested a separate prison be built for women at the divisional level.

The official, while requesting anonymity, said people had been selling space at Rs300 per person. “Those who do not have money sell their own living space, thus enabling others to sleep and that too hardly,” the official said. He added some even sleep while leaning on the walls of the washroom and often fall down.

The HRD wrote a comprehensive report with details on the shortcomings at prisons and recommended steps to ensure inmates lead a normal life. It also highlighted health issues and lack of facilities at the hospital inside the prison.

The report, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, read that besides the jail itself, the prison hospital was in need of immediate attention. It added beds for patients were substandard, as was the drinking water and their treatment.

“There are no specialised doctors for people inmates with skin diseases and above all gynaecology,” the report read. “The latter is essential as a number of pregnant women are imprisoned, but not being provided medical assistance as required.”

They suggested a separate block for HIV, AIDS and TB patients so that other inmates are not infected. It added a blood testing laboratory should be established for the routine medical checkup of prisoners.

The directorate also proposed sports facilities for prisoners so they may live in good health.

When contacted, K-P Director HRD Noor Zaman Khattak confirmed the report, adding suggestions were forwarded to the secretary for law and justice. He said human rights were violated within the facility. “They may have committed a crime, but are still humans at the end of the day and need to be facilitated,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th,  2015.