Jails across country packed beyond capacity, human rights ministry tells SC

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Human Rights has furnished a report to the Supreme Court on the measures it has been taking to contain the spread of the coronavirus among inmates, painting a grim picture of conditions in the country’s overpopulated prisons.

The report stated prisons across Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are packed beyond capacity.

In light of rising cases of the contagion in the country, the ministry said, inmates, aged above 50, have been shifted to separate barracks to protect them from contracting the contagion given their vulnerability to the deadly disease.

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The report said Punjab’s 41 prisons house a total of 45,324 inmates, far more than the existing capacity of 32,000.

Sindh’s 24 prisons are too overpopulated with 16,315 prisoners. The total sanctioned strength of the province’s jails is 13,538.

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Whereas, the situation in KP’s jails is no different where 9,900 prisoners have been incarcerated in 24 jails which should house 4,519.

However, Balochistan’s prisons with the sanctioned capacity of housing 2,550 inmates have only 2,122 prisoners.

The apex court is to take a case with regard to release on bail of under-trial prisoners due to coronavirus tomorrow (Monday).