LAHORE: On the directions of Senior Puisne Judge Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah of the Lahore High Court, release orders on personal surety bonds for 48 prisoners involved in petty matters were issued on Eid day, says a handout.

Both the judges accompanied with Lahore District and Sessions Judge Tariq Iftikhar, Inspector General (Jails) Mian Farooq Nazir and DIG Malik Mubashar had visited the Kot Lakhpat and Camp jails in order to celebrate Eid with prisoners.

On the occasion, the judges directed the jail authorities to send details of the cases pending adjudication with the Lahore High Court within a week so that they might be disposed of on a priority basis.

Justice Manzoor told the prisoners that he had disposed of 800 murder references in a year and Chief Justice Khwaja Imtiaz Ahmad was attaching great importance to mitigating their difficulties.

He said the jail population in the province has declined from 64,000 to 59,000 prisoners as a result of expeditious justice.

Reviewing arrangements in the jails, the judges underlined the need for further improvement and switching over to automation and video trial of the prisoners. Juvenile under-trials were asked to learn computer and other skills available on the jail premises for becoming useful citizens.

The judges advised prisoners to learn a lesson from their mistakes and always remember the jail term in the rest of their lives. Condemned prisoners demanded application of remission in their sentences but they were reminded that it was the job of the government and the courts have to decide cases as per the law and the Constitution.

The judges met each and every prisoner of the death cells, women barracks, wards of both the hospitals and juvenile wing for saying a happy Eid, distributing gifts amongst them and knowing their difficulties and grievances.

A day-long hectic schedule was not enough to ascertain their problems and the judges promised to visit them in September again.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said the Lahore High Court had started reform projects for overhauling the judicial system in the province and a pilot project was launched in jails for introducing information technology and automation.

He said data of jails was being collected to have an easy access to information. The PIMS project setup in the jails would be interlinked with the Lahore High Court to get online record of cases for their quick disposal.

SHEIKHUPURA JAIL: Later on, the judges accompanied with District and Sessions Judge Nazeer Ahmad Gujana as well as prison officials visited the district jail.

They exchanged Eid greetings with prisoners including minors, women and offered them gifts. They also listened to problems of the prisoners and issued orders for their redressal.

Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik exhorted the prisoners to seek forgiveness from Almighty Allah and lead Islamic life, involve themselves in healthy activities for becoming better citizens after confinement.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2014