ISLAMABAD: Prisons in Pakistan house 57 per cent more inmates than they are authorised for while two thirds of the inmates are awaiting/undergoing trial, a report revealed on Tuesday.
‘Addressing Overcrowding in Prison by Reducing Pre-Conviction Detention in Pakistan’ as it is titled, was prepared by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) and Cursor Development Education (CODE) Pakistan.
The 57 per cent figure is significantly higher than the international average which stands at 27 per cent. Overcrowding, spread of infectious diseases and poor living conditions for the inmates and prison staff are some of the consequences of this problem.
As a short-term measure, the report recommends that it is necessary to ensure that 10-15 litres of water are provided for each prisoner daily and their quarters are well-ventilated given that the occupancy rate stands 300 to 500 per cent higher than prison capacity. Provision of a balanced and hygienic diet in addition to proper medical care, access to a sufficient number of toilets and open air are some additional short-term recommendations made by the report. Women and children must also be prevented from receiving detention before conviction.
Long term measures include an effort by the government to reduce socio-economic inequality, provide housing facilities and improve access to employment.
NACTA Coordinator Ihsan Ghani Khan said that it was regrettable that many people have to spend decades in prison even when they are not proven guilty.
“How would it feel if the same thing happened to any one of us? Here, 66pc of prisoners are in jails without conviction, as compared to the international rate of 27pc. Nacta has proposed carrying out research so people are not detained unnecessarily. We will continue working on the issue of prisoners and will implement the report, rather than allowing it to gather dusk on the shelf,” he said.
“There is no pendency of criminal cases in the Supreme Court’s Karachi and Quetta registries, and there are only 225 cases in Islamabad. Even that pendency will end in August this year. However, as many as 72 reports by the commission are pending with the government and could not be implemented,” said Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan Secretary Dr Mohammad Raheem Awan.
The secretary explained that promoting alternative mechanisms for dispute resolution was necessary and that the verdict announcement rate in Pakistan is three times higher than other countries in the region. He added that over 200 hundred cases are heard by the civil magistrate each day.
ICRC head Reto A Stocker explained that overcrowding in prisons causes acute stress and it was important to implement reforms with all stakeholders in mind.
