THE state is making a fresh attempt to improve conditions in Pakistan’s penitentiaries by developing a national jail reform policy. The first meeting to discuss the contours of this policy was recently held in Lahore, chaired by the chief justice of Pakistan. Such consultations are due to be held in other provinces so that a “humane and effective prison system” can be created, as emphasised by Justice Yahya Afridi. At present, prisons in the country are anything but humane, and inmates mostly live in miserable conditions. Rather than serving as correctional facilities, where those who have broken the law can be rehabilitated, jails in Pakistan are mostly filthy and overcrowded, with jail staff free to violate the inmates’ rights. Hopefully, the effort underway can help change this dark reality. There are considerable challenges to address. Overcrowding is perhaps the biggest; for example, data collected by the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan — the official body leading the jail reform drive — shows that 108,643 inmates are lodged in jails across the nation, though the capacity for these facilities is only 66,625. Moreover, in Punjab half of those in jail are under-trial prisoners, some waiting for over a year for their cases to be heard. Healthcare in jails is another major issue, as prisoners are kept in unsanitary conditions, and as noted by Human Rights Watch, given substandard food and water.

Instead of throwing convicted individuals into the black hole that is the Pakistani prison system, earnest efforts are required to help reform the lives of those doing time. While some individuals are convicted of heinous offences such as murder, rape or terrorism, others are inside for petty crime and deserve a second shot at life. The judiciary needs to examine ways to prevent delays in trials, and ensure these are wrapped up within a reasonable span of time, as indefinite delays needlessly add to the prison population. Moreover, as the CJP observed at the Lahore conclave, alternative sentencing options, such as community service and probation, should be explored to reduce overcrowding. It is hoped that the effort to formulate a jail reform policy is successful in coming up with progressive recommendations that can change the grim state of our prisons. Equally important is the need for the state to act upon the new policy’s proposals.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2024