KARACHI: There is a dire need to build more prisons in the city given the growing number of inmates in these facilities. They should serve as rehabilitation centres with enough means to equip prisoners with basic educational and vocational skills so they could stand on their own feet once they return to normal life.

These views were shared by speakers at an iftar dinner organised at the District Jail Malir on Monday. The event organised by Justice Helpline, a non-governmental organisation providing legal aid to jail inmates, was attended by a large number of prisoners, police officials, members of civil society and media personnel.

“Prison overcrowding is a major problem in the city. For instance, the Malir jail, which currently houses a population of 4,600, is meant for 1,600 to 1,800 inmates,” said Advocate Nadeem Sheikh representing the Justice Helpline, adding that the problem of overcrowding in jails was the root cause of many other issues at prisons.

He also briefed the audience on efforts the Supreme Court’s oversight committee for Malir jail had taken in collaboration with jail officials and his NGO.

Malir jail, which currently houses a population of 4,600, is meant for 1,600 to 1,800 inmates

These efforts included the release of around 200 prisoners, who were arrested for petty crimes and had been languishing in the Malir jail only because they were unable to pay minor fines ranging between Rs3,000 and Rs15,000.

“This couldn’t have been possible without the support of philanthropists. We have also managed to get air tickets for three foreign prisoners who have overstayed for a year or so after completing their sentence as they didn’t have enough money to return home. All legal formalities have been completed in this regard,” he said.

In his speech, Dr Farhan Essa Abdullah of Essa Laboratory, convener of the oversight committee, recalled initial visits of the committee and how it came up with solutions to various challenges identified at the prison.

“It wasn’t possible to fix issues single-handedly, so we collaborated with a number of organisations, including the Pakistan Medical Association, Pakistan Red Crescent Society, Citizen-Police Liaison Committee, Anti-Narcotics Force, Transformational International and Rotary International for various initiatives,” he said.

One of the first steps the committee took was to turn the facility into a double-storey prison to create more space for inmates who were screened for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV/Aids with the support of the Indus Hospital and Sindh AIDS Control Programme, he added.

The other initiatives at the prison included installation of a reverse osmosis plant, construction of water tanks, release of Indian fishermen, periodic holding of health camps and vocational programmes, he said.

“The prisons meant for under-trial prisoners and those held for petty crimes should be renamed as correctional facilities. There is an immediate need to sensitise society about this marginalised section of society,” he noted.

Malir Jail Superintendent Aurangzeb also spoke.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2019