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Date: 26th January 2006
Amendments in prisons laws are inevitable to ensure the protection of prisoners’ rights
Islamabad. A delegation from Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights (PCHR) paid visit to the Adyala Jail. The delegation was headed by Chairman PCHR Mr. Riaz Fatyana MNA and comprised of Mr. Zamurad Khan MNA (PPP), and Senator Dr Kausar Ferdous and Chief Coordinator PCHR Mr. Shafique Chaudhry. The delegation examined the overall conditions of the prisoners at Adyala Jail and also interviewed them concerning their concerns and complaints.
Chairman PCHR Mr. Riaz Fatyana MNA said that Pakistan is signatory to various international human rights conventions which also lay emphasis upon the protection of the rights of prisoners. It is imperative that prisoners should be treated with dignity and honor as per provision provided in international instruments.
The delegation while expressing satisfaction about general state of affairs in jail observed many problems like over crowdedness of the prisoners, lack of medical facilities, insufficiency of jail staff, and most importantly the absence of lady doctor for women prisoners. In Adyala Jail, 232 women are imprisoned while no lady doctor is present to deal with them which is causing serious problems. Similarly, the prisoners face great hardship in case of medical emergency for shifting to hospital. As for this, permission of Home Secretary is sine quo none. Certainly, it takes a lot of time due to bureaucratic red tapism. Ideally, these powers should be vested in Jail Superintendent to enable him to provide emergency medical help to the prisoners. The reason is presence of age-old prison rules which demand urgent review. Moreover, there is sanction of two male doctors, but only one is on duty in the hospital. As regards, administrative problems, the jail lacks staff instead of 360 members, the staff comprising of 300 members is working in the jail. Similarly, the situation of death cell is alarming because instead of lodging one condemned prisoners, six to seven prisoners has been lodged. The overall capacity of jail provides lodging 1950 prisoners while presently there are 5260 prisoners in Adyala Jail. It was observed that prisoners face no problems in meeting with their relatives, they are given sufficient time, jail personnel are cooperative as well.
Chairman PCHR Mr. Riaz Fatyana MNA said that it is urgency of time to repeal age-old laws and Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights has already suggested many reformatory measures, and again reiterates to raise the issue in more forceful and cogent way to protect the rights of prisoners in Pakistan.
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