Keeping in view the state’s obligation to review the overall position of human rights on a continuous basis, Prime Minister Imran Khan had constituted the Prime Minister’s Prisoners Reforms Committee (“PPAC”) under the chairmanship of Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, ex-Law Minister and President Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan to examine the prevailing conditions of prisons in Pakistan and recommend measures and steps to reform the system. Barrister Zafar, on the special invitation of Cabinet, presented the salient features of prison reforms package after which the Prime Minister, with the unanimous approval of the Cabinet, announced that the implementation of the suggestions in the Report will be monitored by the Prime Minister Secretariat. The Report has now been published and Mr. Zafar will be conducting various meetings and seminars with different stakeholders in the near future. The first such meeting is held on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 in Serena, Islamabad under the banner of “Rule of Law Donor Meeting”. While talking about the report, Barrister Zafar said that one of its unique aspect is that there is consensus amongst the Federation and all Provinces on all the suggestions contained in it and the reason for this is that the same are beneficial to Pakistan, its people and society as a whole. Elaborating further, Barrister Zafar stated that the aim of imprisonment now is not only punishment and retribution, but the true objective is to rehabilitate the prisoner to enable him/her to come back to society as a better person. It is only through reformation that he/she can lead a law abiding life and contribute productively to society as a whole. This, according to Mr. Zafar, was the true aim of prison reform, which is in consonance with guaranteeing safety of society. PPAC is a high powered committee having Ms. Maleeka Ali Bukhari, MNA, Aleem Khan, MPA, Secretary Ministry of Interior, Home Secretaries & IG Prisons of Sindh, Punjab, KPK and Balochistan, Chief Commissioner Islamabad and Barrister Haya Emaan Zahid, as its members. Barrister Zafar said that the prisoners upon being imprisoned do not cease to be human beings and are fully entitled to their basic human rights, including access to justice, and provision of minimum living conditions within the confines of prisons. PPAC has endeavoured to find ways and means to achieve this true purpose of a prison system and said that if the suggestions are implemented, they will lead not only to rehabilitation of prisoners so that they are not a menace to society when they are released but also, at the same time, protect their basic human rights whilst they are imprisoned. The 70 pager report is based on the latest statistics, and highlights that as a result of overcrowding in prisons the living conditions of the inmates (under-trial and convicted) are and will continue to remain inhumane and this generates further crimes, increases recidivism and negates re-integration into society post release. The Report accordingly suggests ways to address and eliminate the problem of overcrowding and, as a first step, recommends release of prisoners who are deserving and unable to pay fines or make payments in lieu of diyat, daman and arsh due to poverty. The Report contains suggestions for improving living conditions within prisons, making provision for better terms and conditions of service and facilities for prison staff, enhancing prison safety, providing medical facilities including mental health services, digitizing prison data and developing a national prison management system, implementing a prison industry plan, access to wider and monitored vocational training, standardizing prison education measures for children residing in prisons including their education, rendering special treatment to drug users, introducing cadres of prison paralegals for providing basic legal information to prisoners as part of facilitating access to justice, institutionalizing and prioritizing legal aid for under trial prisoners, establishing special funds for prisoners, enhancing diversion mechanisms of probation and parole, remissions, improving the bail and sentencing laws, ensuring family ties of prisoners, making prisons more accountable and transparent through independent and external oversight and suggesting ways and means for whole system reform for Police, Bars, Courts and Prosecution etc. The Report also highlights that 102 prisons accommodate 77,282 prisoners while the total capacity is of 56,634 prisoners and the occupancy rate is more than 36%. The Report points out that overcrowding leads to chaos, misery, inhumane living conditions, crimes and ultimately makes the prisons a place which hardens and generates criminals instead of rehabilitation. According to the Report in order to reduce overcrowding one has to work on both, demand side and supply side and deconstruct the reasons behind influx of prisoners. It is also pointed out in the Report that astonishingly the under-trial prisoners are more than double those who have been convicted which shows the sluggishness of the judicial system and there is need to improve. **********
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