81 prisoners still in Lahore jails after completing sentences, LHC told

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) was informed on Monday that 81 people were incarcerated in different jails of the city due to non-payment of fines, diyat amount imposed on them, ARY News reported.

The figures of prisoners were shared by inspector general jail affairs with the LHC bench. Justice Mazhar Ali Akbar conducted proceedings of the case.

On a petition filed by Nadeem Sarwar Advocate, the IG Prisons told the court that efforts were afoot to get those prisoners released who had no resources to pay fines.

Read: LHC to hear petition seeking relief for poor prisoners

He said appeals were also made to philanthropists and non-governmental organizations to assist in this regard.

The officer, however, pointed out that 3588 such prisoners from 2011 till date had also been released from jails after NGOs, philanthropists and the government collectively paid Rs 270 million.

After hearing the arguments, the court summoned lawyers from both the sides to furnish conclusive arguments in the case.

Last month, the Lahore High Court had accepted for hearing a petition seeking relief for the poor prisoners who could not pay the fine imposed on them and languishing in jails despite completing their jail terms.

According to the details, Advocate Nadeem Sarwar had submitted a plea before the LHC and stated that a large number of inmates were unable to pay fines and languishing in different jails of the province.

He stated in his plea that it was the state’s responsibility to pay fines and ‘Diyat’ in such cases and pleaded with the court to order the government to pay the fines on the behalf of the poor prisoners.