ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Athar Minallah of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) expressed his disgust with the dismal condition of affairs in prisons on Wednesday, stating there is no rule of law within the country’s jails.
The comments were made during the hearing of a case that was started after a prisoner in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Central Jail submitted a letter to the IHC CJ explaining jail personnel’ discriminatory behaviour toward detainees based on their wealth and social position.
During the hearing, the director-general of the human rights ministry informed the bench that powerful convicts were residing in the Adiala Jail’s infirmary without any physical ailments. He went on to say that the concerned minister has also set up a fact-finding commission to look into the matter.
The official went on to say that the Adiala complaint redressal mechanism is inactive, and that the jail premises were straightened up before their scheduled inspections, but that this was not the case. “The jail superintendents in Adiala and Bhakar were completely unaware of the IHC order,” the officer revealed.
According to the official, the jail authorities have taken no steps to improve the lives of inmates, noting that Adiala currently houses 5,000 inmates despite its maximum capacity of 2,000.
Justice Minallah stated that those who were powerful outside of the prisons were also powerful inside. “Discrimination exists between powerful and ordinary convicts,” the CJ observed, adding that human rights infractions in prisons must be addressed. He also told the official to write a report on the subject.
“You will have to cease these human rights violations in jails,” the IHC judge told the human rights DG. Justice Minallah also used the example of murder convict Shahrukh Jatoi, who lived in luxury after his family rented out an entire floor of a hospital for him.
During the hearing, the deputy attorney general proposed that a high court judge inspect the prison’s conditions. Justice Minallah then inquired if he had ever gone to jail. In response, the lawyer stated that he had visited jails in connection with jail proceedings. “I don’t mean a jail trial,” the judge answered. “Have you ever been put to jail as a prisoner?”
“During the judiciary restoration movement, several lawyers were imprisoned. If judges and ministers spend time there as well, they will learn empathy,” the CJ concluded. “What is the problem with allowing journalists to interview prisoners?” he enquired.
The HR DG stated that the media should be included in the fact-finding committee. The court then postponed the hearing until February 8.
