Prisoners in jails living in sub human condition |
The Nation (30 December 2004) KARACHI- Jails in Karachi and other parts of country are over crowded. The prisoners are kept in sub human conditions.The situation in Karachi Central Prison particularly is in shambles and is a point of concern. The jail is housing more prisoners than the capacity. According to Human Rights Organisations in Pakistan there are about 82,000 prisoners in the country languishing behind bars and to add more to the apathy, most of them are living in severely crowded situation. Hardly any expansion has taken place whereas the number of prisoners has increased manifold. There are three jails in Karachi, which house about 9,000 prisoners who are living in deplorable condition. Of these 9,000 prisoners about 300 are women and with them are their offspring which number at 60. These three jails can accommodate only 3,000 prisoners. It means that 6,000 need additional accommodation. While viewing the pathetic conditions of these overcrowded jails the Sindh Home Government recently decided to build 30 barracks in the Central Jail Karachi, so as to overcome the shortage of space in the jail premises. Most of the women prisoners behind bars are being held on the pretext of the laws of the Hudood Ordinance which fails to demarcate a correct boundary line between rape and adultery; for rape victims are usually found guilty of adultery, then imprisoned and finally subjected to corporal punishment. There are even cases pending against women murderers, who out of sheer agony and pain that they have suffered in case of domestic abuse led to a murdering scheme of their respective male clan consisting either of their fathers, father-in-laws, husbands or brother-in-laws. This Pakistani society fails to acknowledge the trauma that these women have gone through, that finally has led to the brutal act of murder. Moreover these women are in dire need for psychological help and medication and require financial support for legal aid against their so called pending cases which virtually disqualifies them from being categorised as human in need of support. Even their relatives, close family members do not visit them in case they be regulated in terms of providing their little children security as legal guardians or to be a moral support to the offenders in jail. The worse sufferers are no doubt their off springs who are bred here in the atmosphere which is completely void of homely affection . These young ones are unaware of the beautiful world that lies outside the jail premises. Even their mothers fail to sooth their sufferings as they themselves lie unhealed. If the prison authorities decide to throw these young children out on streets, then they will be mercilessly be abused by street vagabonds. Here, at least in case of physical fights their mothers forge ahead to protect them. Hence, the prison barracks offer them shelter from the cruelty which mars on the street. While speaking to The Nation, Mr Saram Burney of the Ansar Burney Trust said “ these jails are overcrowded, no doubt the sanitary conditions are in deplorable state but making more prisoner barracks is no final solution to the problem. The solution lies in the fact that these cases are to be dealt with and should move ahead in the court of law, as soon as possible. Hence the judiciary may help in focusing that justice has been capacitated on time and that real offenders be punished and the innocent ones be honorably discharged. Hence, not barracks but providing sound justice should be the top priority of the ruling government, to the prisoners living in jail surroundings.” Many other NGO’s have been working to help save these souls from complete isolation but to no avail, for the pending cases do not move ahead, for the legal aid is never timely provided, hence more criminals enter the barracks without any hope of ever leaving the boundary, till the day justice is properly provided or freedom from life as the case may be in the form of death be ascertained; the life within the premises continues. Press Back on your browser to Return
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