The Sindh High Court on Wednesday, while hearing a petition from three prisoners who allegedly have not been released despite serving their sentences, admonished officers in-charge of the Karachi Central Jail (KCJ) for not being more sensitive towards the rights of prisoners.

According to the petition, the three convicts — Muhammad Fazal, Khawaja Saleemuddin and Asif Ali — had been sent to jail for their involvement in a 1995 murder. However, despite serving their full sentences, the three were never released.

KCJ officials present in court claimed that the three men were not let go "because of their involvement in some other case."

However, when asked to produce a record for the said case, the officials claimed that "Even though these cases do exist, we do not have their records."

"How can you hold someone in jail for over 20 years without any records of their crime," Justice Iqbal Kalhoro retorted.

"This [abuse] has only come to light because of this petition," he continued. "I wonder how many others are rotting in jails despite serving their sentences due to the lack of records."

"You should be more sensitive towards prisoners, they are human too," Justice Kalhoro snapped.

"To keep someone in jail after they have served their time is illegal, if there are cases against these prisoners, produce their records in court or we will start proceedings against you," the judge added before adjourning the case till January 20.