PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court decided 126 bail petitions last week and took up bail pleas of prisoners on priority basis in light of thesituation arising out of Covid-19.

The duty judges paid special visits to district jails and ordered the release of 222 prisoners detained over petty cases.

According to a news release issued by the high court, the administrative judges for prisons, including Justice Roohul Amin Khan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, visited the jails of Mardan Peshawar, Swabi and Nowshera last week and ordered the immediate release of 33 prisoners.

They asked the authorities to address the overcrowding of Nowshera and Swabi jails.

The judges also inspected hygienic conditions of jails and ordered cleanliness on the premises and segregation of new prisoners from the old ones in line with guidelines on the prevention of Covid-19.

The high court formally asked staff members on Feb 29 to take precautionary steps against coronavirus, stopped their biometric attendance, and asked them to ensure strict and regular cleanliness on the premises.

The court asked all district and sessions judges to depute magistrates for daily visits to the respective jails for undertrial prisoners, and formed a cell headed by the registrar to monitor the situation.

The district judges were asked to ensure the screening of visitors to the court premises by thermal guns and establishment of quarantine centres in collaboration with the district administration.

The court also asked judges to avoid the dismissal of cases in default.

In a message, the chief justice praised district judges for adopting precautionary measures against Covid-19.

He asked them to strictly follow anti-coronavirus guidelines, especially after the conclusion of public holidays.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2020