KARACHI, April 25: Children and women prisoners are the main victims of a weak probation system in Sindh which has not been improved despite repeated promises by the provincial authorities as well as the centre.

Sources told Dawn that there were only three probation officers in the 23 districts of Sindh, adding that Punjab enjoyed the services of 53 probation officers.

The Sindh home department’ special secretary, Rasheed Alam, told Dawn that the government was planning to recruit at least one probation officer in each district of the province.

Analysts point out that a shortage of probation officers is responsible for the overcrowding of prisons.

According to the provincial authorities, some 19,318 prisoners are lodged against a capacity of 9,000 in Sindh's 16 jails. Out of this, 4,200 are languishing in the Central Jail in Karachi alone against a capacity of only 911.