ISLAMABAD: A report of the Ministry of Human Rights (MHR) revealed details about corrupt practices and a culture of lawlessness in Rawalpindi’s Central Jail Adiala.

The interim report of the ministry’s fact-finding committee was submitted before Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah on Wednesday. It stated that there were 5,700 prisoners in the jail against a capacity of 2,100.

The committee was formed to carry out investigation after an inmate, Dr Irfan Iqbal, filed a petition, alleging that influential prisoners were involved in bribing the jail administration and in return, they not only availed unauthorised perks and privileges but were facilitated in running illegal businesses and convening meetings inside jail premises.

Evidence produced by the complainant’s brother confirmed that Rs110,000 and Rs25,000 were transferred online to Ardali Mudassar Mumtaz, the report stated, adding that documented proof made it clear that jail authorities had been involved and were treating their prisoners according to their financial and political status.

Finds jail authorities involved in taking favours from prisoners

“The jail authorities during the meeting acknowledged the fact that the jail administration is being put under immense political pressure by the influential elite to accommodate prisoners for facilitation which is not permissible under existing rules,” the report said, adding that, “unfortunately, the preferential treatment inside prisons has created an environment of corruption and bribery at all levels.

The transfer and posting of jail authorities is also being used as a major instrument for arm twisting and to extract undue favours, it added.

The complainant did not share evidence of any business meeting held in jail but offered to present evidence before the IHC.

On Dec 27, Justice Minallah, while hearing the case, observed that instead of reforming prisoners, jails had become “epicentres of crime, corruption and corrupt practices”.

The complainant Iqbal had levelled serious allegations against the inspector general prison and under custody accused facing high profile murder cases.

He alleged that the accused were running their illegal business of land grabbing even from prison and in return they paid over Rs10 million to prison authorities.

Jail authorities have been directed not to harass Iqbal, the ministry’s director general informed the court, adding that the internal complaint redressal mechanism in the jail had become dormant.

Justice Minallah, while pointing towards but not naming an influential inmate of Karachi Jail Shahrukh Jatoi, said prisoners were shifted to a rented hospital to complete the sentence and the situation in Adiala Jail was not much different.

The court weighed different options on improving the jail’s environment and suggested that the media should have been given access to the jail premises so that miseries of inmates could be highlighted.

The human rights ministry’s director general told the court that this had already been included in the comprehensive report on jail reforms.

Further hearing in the matter has been adjourned till Feb 8.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2022