HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Sindh High Court’s Hyderabad circuit has directed superintendents of the Central Prison Hyderabad and Nara jail to submit a complete break-up of those undertrial prisoners (UTPs) and convicts who are suffering from ailments along with details of their treatment and opinion of medical officers about their cases.

The bench comprising Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Fahim Ahmed Siddiqui on Wednesday perused reports submitted by advocates Ishrat Ali Lohar and Hameedullah Dahiri (who were appointed amicus curiae by court) through a previous order to submit their findings on conditions in prisons.

The court observed that the central prison’s medical officer said the total number of lunatic patients in prison were 106 while the jail superintendent’s report did not reflect it in his report. He was directed to ensure compliance of Aug 28, 2017 order and submit complete details of the two prisoners, who were completed paralysed and admitted in the ward.

The bench directed the IG Prisons of Sindh to ensure that proper shade should be provided for prisoners in the Nara prison; meeting place be expanded and sufficient sitting area should be provided for women visitors.

The court directed the senior superintendent of police (SSP) and deputy commissioner Hyderabad to depute a team for demarcation which would ensure that possession of Nara prison’s land facing encroachment was handed over to the jail.

Both prison chiefs were directed to submit reports regarding the convicts who had completed their terms but had not been released due to non payment of money to be paid in line with certain legal provisions like diyat.

If any correspondence was made with the high-ups, it should be brought on record, said the order.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2017