June 08, 2008	Sunday	Jamadi-us-Sani 03, 1429

ISLAMABAD, June 7: The National Judicial (policymaking) Committee (NJPMC) on Saturday expressed concern over the situation in jails and miserable condition of inmates and asked sessions judges to visit jails to ensure production of under-trial prisoners as well as the accused in lock-ups in courts.

The population in jails has increased because of a high crime rate, forcing the inmates to live in miserable condition, the committee presided over by Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, noted with concern.

The meeting was also attended by chief justices of the Federal Shariat Court, the four provincial high courts and the Islamabad High Court.

During their visits to jails, the district and sessions judges are required to collect data on the total number of prisoners in jails (male, female, juvenile), details of death cells, the number of condemned prisoners confined in each death cell, condition of death cells, their sizes, toilet facilities, living conditions, health facilities, treatment of prisoners, provision of proper food and adequacy or inadequacy of the accommodation.

The session judges will also collect data about women’s jails or separate barracks for women prisoners, feasibility of a separate entry for women barracks and juvenile barracks, the number of prisoners having served out their sentence but still confined because of non-payment of fine, diyat and prisoners, convicts of minor offences and particulars of their sentences or state of cases.