/BleedBox [-9.0000 -9.0000 621.0000 801.0000] As a result of overcrowding, in some prisons, between six and 15 prisoners may occupy a single jail cell built to hold a maximum of three individuals. According to 1998 census records, some 10 million people, or 8% of the population of Pakistan, consisted of internal or international migrants. On 7 July, after almost four months, families were allowed to meet prisoners once every 15 days. The major and important flaws and weaknesses of the criminal justice system of Pakistan are inaccurate reporting of crime to the police, mal-practices and flaws in investigations, delayed submission of challans to the courts by the public prosecutors, lopsided and long duration of trial of the cases where accused is considered to be the favorite child of the court, overcrowding of jails due to large number of under trial … >> When COVID-19 cases began to be reported in Pakistan in March, announcements by prison authorities to the press seemed to indicate that steps were being taken almost immediately to help control the spread in prisons by reducing prison populations.   |   Water Treatment Plants need to be added;! He said that one of the major problems in Karachi’s prison was overcrowding. /TrimBox [0.0000 0.0000 612.0000 792.0000] prison security and enforcing harsher punishments. %PDF-1.3 Some prisoners interviewed for this report described having to sleep in shifts because there was not enough floor space for all of them to lie down at the same time. The pandemic also laid bare the scarcities and systemic issues in Pakistan’s prison system. The COVID-19 outbreak has exposed just how precarious the conditions in prisons are, and the threats these pose to the lives and health of prisoners, prison staff and the community at large. Permissions Savings remitted by Pakistani migrants Instead of taking out a top militant, Pakistan's military had actually killed the … The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population. Pakistan’s occupancy rate in prisons on October 1, 2017, was 157 percent with 84,287 inmates in 112 prisons administered by provinces/Administrative Territories (ATs), while the authorized capacity was 53,744. In Pakistan, women prisoners reported depression, stress, mental illness, sleep disorder and generalised anxiety. Their total bed capacity is 45,000 beds. The Supreme Court’s decision checked the country-wide momentum to reduce prison populations and even led to the re-arrest of prisoners who had already been released in compliance with the directives of the Sindh High Court. The common problems for women in prison generally come from both the lives they led before being imprisoned as well their actual incarceration.As a result of their gender, women arrive in prison usually with a different set of problems than male prisoners do. It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day. /Parent 2 0 R One of major issues, the Jail Reforms that evaded the rulers in Pakistan too long endangering the lives of less important people thrown into jails, has received due attention in Gilani’s dispensation. Mental Health Issues of Women Prisoners in Karachi Pakistan Zainab Fotowwat Zadeh Kiran Bashir Ahmad Institute of Professional Psychology Bahria University, Karachi Campus Karachi, Pakistan. THE condition of prisons in Pakistan is appalling, although many reform committees since 1950 have made different recommendations for their improvement. /Font << /F7 7 0 R /F13 13 0 R /F19 19 0 R /F25 25 0 R /F31 31 0 R /F37 37 0 R >> A report, issued as early as last year, compiled by NACTA, ICRC and Cursor Development and Education Pakistan, concluded that Pakistan’s prisons held 57 percent more inmates than the authorised limit. However, on 30 March, the Supreme Court intervened and suspended all bail orders specifically granted on account of COVID-19. The problems are long-standing, and despite ongoing calls for reform, and many attempts to improve the situation, there is little evidence of progress. This results in increased juvenile-adult interaction in prisons. Indeed, during the outbreak, the police arrested and detained several individuals simply for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Training of Prison S taf f at home and abroad is necessary .! Prisoners of the Pandemic – The Right to Health and COVID-19 in Pakistan’s detention facilities examines the response of the Pakistani government and judiciary to the challenges of COVID-19 in prisons between March and July 2020. Justice Project Pakistan (JPP) is a non-profit organization based in Lahore that represents the most vulnerable Pakistani prisoners facing the harshest punishments, at home and abroad. The Juvenile Justice System Ordinance 2000 prohibits the imposition of death penalties on minors. The separation of various categories ofinmates was an issue of fundamental importance that the prison system in Pakistan continued to grapple with. << The COVID-19 outbreak has exposed just how precarious the conditions in prisons are, and the threats these pose to the lives and health of prisoners, prison staff and the community at large,” said Rimmel Mohydin. ]/�o������\��]��%�� ���CB�*����������z�=�+H�~�/���ɂ8�,Z.DрCȒ�[�^��Lp������"�ܪ��Ί�8t��׋w��њ�1]� �^>}/F�{1�2ڧ��o���w�D}���+щZЉ*|$Y(C:�$�!Q̘����.C{g. “With infections and fatalities rising daily, overcrowding in Pakistan’s prisons is a ticking time bomb. During a Punjab Assembly session, the Punjab prisons minister stated that in prisons across the province, 80 HIV positive and 31 AIDS patients were present in … The authorities must learn the lessons of the first wave and urgently ensure a significant reduction in the country’s prison population,” Rimmel Mohydin, South Asia Campaigner at Amnesty International. According to a report by the Justice Project Pakistan (JPP), at least 10% of death-row prisoners in Pakistan committed crimes when they were under the age of 18. HIV/Aids / Hepatitis issues need to be addressed on a priority basis;! “A justice system that caused the problem of overcrowding in the first place also stood in the way of resolving it. However, the ordinance has lacked proper implementation since its enactment. The Prime Minister, too, had reaffirmed the release of women prisoners nearly 3 months ago and yet over a thousand women continue to languish in jails, many with their children. Turkey: Failure to free Osman Kavala makes mockery of Erdogan’s Human Rights Action Plan, Saudi Arabia: Verdict upholding Loujain al-Hathloul’s conviction an appalling injustice, 20,000 prisoners across the province of Punjab were scheduled to be released, States break silence to condemn Egypt’s abuses at UN rights body, Ten years on justice for Syrians more important than ever. Particularly women make up a very small proportion of the prison population in Pakistan and they are faced Prison overcrowding has serious consequences for the inmates and puts them in highly uncomfortable situations. PAKISTAN This commission proposed the movement of new restorative work environments so that the issue of blockage could be succeed. Cookie Statement The criminal justice system in Pakistan is known to be faulty, exploitative and inequitable. /Filter [/FlateDecode ] Today prisons are considered rehabilitation and correction center and the task of the rehabilitation and correction of inmates of prisons is carried out by education. A corrupt and dysfunctional prison system has contributed to – and is a manifestation of – the breakdown of the rule of law in Pakistan. The data The authorities must learn the lessons of the first wave and urgently ensure a significant reduction in the country’s prison population,” Rimmel Mohydin, South Asia Campaigner at Amnesty International. However, for some issues or 1Earlier this year, we reported on staff sexual misconduct in women’s prisons—Women In Prison: Sexual Misconduct by Correctional Staff … In recognition of its work JPP was awarded with the 2016 National Human Rights Award, presented by the President of Pakistan. Lawyers, however, were still not permitted to visit their clients. If you are talented and passionate about human rights then Amnesty International wants to hear from you. /Type /Page Pakistan in 1997 showed a complete report to change the prisons in Pakistan. The Pakistani authorities must not commit the same mistakes as a second wave looms over the country,” said Rimmel Mohydin. “The appalling state of Pakistan’s prisons is a long-standing problem that has been ignored by all levels of government for years. Abstract The present research aimed at exploring the mental health issues of women prisoners in a Karachi jail. Insanitary conditions in the prison, unhygienic food as well as overcrowding caused major health concerns. /MediaBox [-9.0000 -9.0000 621.0000 801.0000] , a number that would have seen the prison population in the province almost halved. x��\K�%� �_����c[�d�0�0 $Y 4d���!ӓ��"?r�l�\��&0�n��:U�,K�>I�v����醿�ן��������֟����/��_�����?���K��ǽ���(��vɤ�"C{`�S������ �������ߟ�>�Y���Q��E��|q�&p��h�[\V��?�L������~�c������^������^��m��? Education Programmes need to be introduced. One former juvenile prisoner described … On 20 March, the Islamabad High Court ordered that no unnecessary arrests be made, after recognizing that “prisons, which are overcrowded, have high turnover and intolerable living conditions, could potentially become epicentres for outbreak of the deadly virus”. To make matters worse, a lockdown imposed from April to June – followed by court holidays – forced courts to severely limit operations. “The Pakistani authorities must tackle these systemic issues, ease the strain on the prison infrastructure and address the multiple human rights violations that take place behind prison walls every day.”. stream Pakistan has a human rights obligation to act on these directives and prevent another human catastrophe,” said Sarah Belal, Justice Project Pakistan’s Executive Director. The response in the early stages of the pandemic ensured that prisons remained a teeming hotbed for COVID-19 transmission. Amnesty International and Justice Project Pakistan are calling on the Pakistani authorities to urgently submit lists of prisoners at risk who can be eligible for early, temporary or conditional release; to immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their human rights; and to follow through on any orders to implement early releases of women and children in prisons. Your choice regarding cookies on this site Establishment of Medical Laboratories is important.! Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue. As fewer bail hearings were taking place, the period between April to August 2020 actually saw a rise in the overall prison population from 73,242 to 79,603, an almost 8.7 per cent increase. The overcrowding of jails did not allow for the separation of under-trial and convicted prisoners; only male juveniles were separated from Present-day Pakistan inherited 90 prisons to which we have added nine or ten. Prisons are often overcrowded, have limited access to healthcare, offer poor nutrition and have high rates of airborne and blood borne diseases. << The civil and criminal justice system in Pakistan is confronted today with the serious crisis of abnormal delays. File photo of inmates resting behind bars in a … Issues of economics, politics, regional stability, “terrorism”, security and structural changes are being taken up for administering reforms. One of the three main components of the criminal justice system of Pakistan, alongside the courts and the prisons. The Inspector General of Prisons Sindh has to visit and inspect every prison at-least once a year to satisfy himself that the provisions of the prisons Act 1894, and rules, regulations, directions and orders made or issued there under, applicable to such prison are duly obeyed and enforced, and that the management of such prison is in all respect efficient and satisfactory. The former ruling party - the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz - had threatened to start a mass protest movement and disrupt parliamentary business if its leader were sent back to prison. The Islamabad High Court also issued directives to release pre-trial prisoners detained for non-prohibitory offences, and those whose bail was refused previously. >> /Resources << Given weak account-ability mechanisms for warders and prison superintendents, Widespread problems in Pakistani prisons were previously highlighted in a January 2020 Human Rights Ministry report submitted to the Islamabad High … Compounding this, a request by the Supreme Court for prison authorities to prepare lists of at-risk prisoners who could be eligible for release was ignored by prison authorities, with no follow-up measures taken so far. These problems are most certainly some of the main causes behind high crime rates. Pakistan lacks a systematic program for the capacity build-ing of prison staff, while ex isting regulati ons on postings, transfers and promotions are frequently breached because of nepotism and political in terference. In March, at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, prison authorities banned all visits to prevent transmissions. 5 0 obj The Pakistani authorities’ failure to reduce severe overcrowding in prisons during the first wave of COVID-19 has left tens of thousands of prisoners dangerously exposed as infections and fatalities once again rise across the country, said a new report from Amnesty International and Justice Project Pakistan. Despite the authorities’ stated objective of reducing Pakistan’s prison population to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the report finds that key decisions by the Supreme Court and administrative failings by prison authorities contributed instead to an increase in the prison population in the early months of the pandemic. The authorities must learn the lessons of the first wave and urgently ensure a significant reduction in the country’s prison population, A justice system that caused the problem of overcrowding in the first place also stood in the way of resolving it. Pakistan's prisons are holding up to 57% more prisoners than their authorized capacity, leading to overcrowding that has had an adverse effect on the living conditions of both detainees and staff. Privacy Policy Refunds of donations. However, Amnesty International and Justice Project Pakistan found that there was a continued intake of prisoners with minimal precautions to prevent transmissions within prisons and no official steps were taken to limit prisoner intake or reduce the pace of arrests for petty crimes. The statistics revealed by Human Rights Commission in Pakistan (RHCP) on the violence in prison shows that 2 juveniles has suffered death due to the prevalence of extra-judicial torture and violence in the prisons. While recognizing that a range of offences warrant arrest and detention and that COVID-19 should not provide cover to those who commit serious crimes, the overuse of measures of deprivation of liberty for minor offences and the lack of consideration for non-custodial measures  is even more problematic in the context of a pandemic. JPP investigates, litigates, educates, and advocates on their behalf. The lack of a clean and consistent supply of water was also found to be an alarming concern for prisoners, with many reporting that they did not have adequate water to drink or wash with. The Chief Justice of the provincial high court of Sindh authorized an order made by a Judicial Magistrate to release 519 prisoners on bail. Corruption in Pakistan is widespread, and extends to every sector from government to judiciary, police, health services and education.. Together, this meant that no steps were made to reduce the prison population through early releases.   |   “Overcrowding is a major issue at the Karachi Central Jail. By entering this website, you consent to the use of technologies, such as cookies and analytics, to customise content, advertising and provide social media features. Anne Reuss (1999) says: The functions of education in prison, not unnaturally, mean different things to … /Contents 5 0 R Access to food, water and sanitation in prisons is precarious at the best of times. Law enforcement in Pakistan (Urdu: ادارہ ہائی نفاذِ قانون، پاکستان ‎) is one of the most elite and prestigious cadre of the Civil Service of Pakistan. Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, has bolstered after targets and parts of modernized control work environments.11 Peshawar Women Prison 4 0 obj A series of failures in the early stages of the pandemic meant that this goal was spectacularly missed, leaving people in detention dangerously exposed as the country approaches a second spike.”. Amendment in Rules is required (Pakistan Prison Rules being 28 years old).! injecting practices, tattooing with contaminated equipment, violence, rape and unprotected sex. The overuse of arrests and detention including for minor offences, the frequent overuse of pre-trial detention and underuse of non-custodial measures, the backlog of cases in Pakistan’s courts, and the long delays between hearings contribute to bloating prison populations. >> %���� /ProcSet [/PDF /ImageB /Text] According to the Federal Ombudsman, the national overcrowding rate in Pakistan’s prisons is 134 percent, with significantly higher percentages depending on the prison. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. According to media reports, at least 20,000 prisoners across the province of Punjab were scheduled to be released, a number that would have seen the prison population in the province almost halved. You can use this tool to change your cookie settings. “In April this year, the Supreme Court of Pakistan outlined specific categories of prisoners who would be eligible for bail on account of their age and sentences, but those prisoners were never released. Adnan Rasheed had been sentenced to death for trying to kill former president Pervez Musharraf. But prison education is not a simple issue. S. Ashraf Date: February 17, 2021 The number of women in prison is far less than the male prison population.. The authorities recognised that special protective measures were needed for prisons – above all, a big reduction in prisoner numbers. /XObject << /Im6 6 0 R >> This included health workers protesting their lack of resources and personal protection equipment, students protesting the lack of internet access to attend virtual classes, and a transgender rights activist detained for eight days in a prison with a known COVID-19 outbreak. By the end of August 2020, at least 2,313 prisoners of a total population of 79,603 across the country had tested positive for COVID-19. Bureau of Prisons (BOP), the California Department of Corrections, and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. “It’s no secret that Pakistan’s prisons were dangerously overcrowded even before COVID-19 struck. Heavily overpopulated, understaffed and poorly managed, the prisons have become a fertile breeding ground for criminality and militancy, with prisoners more likely to return to crime than to abandon it. /Length 3511 /CropBox [-9.0000 -9.0000 621.0000 801.0000] A REVIEW OF MIGRATION ISSUES IN PAKISTAN i SUMMARY This paper aims to provide a strategic overview of issues relating to migration and poverty in Pakistan. “With infections and fatalities rising daily, overcrowding in Pakistan’s prisons is a ticking time bomb. In Pakistan the majority of the prisons are overcrowded, which contributes to the emerging issues of poor health and hygiene, high risk behaviour (e.g suicide, unprotected and forced sexual contact, drug misuse), and poor prison management leading to torture, riots and corruption. Interviews with former prisoners and family members point to insufficient measures to support inmates to ensure continued communication with their loved ones and to be able to communicate confidentially with their lawyers. Unless these issues are dealt with, prisons will remain hellish for the socio-economically disadvantaged.   |   endobj