ISLAMABAD: Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights expressed serious concerns over the lack of basic facilities and overcrowded conditions in jails and the delay in provision of justice.
The committee met with Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri in the chair at the Parliament house on Thursday.
The committee expressed deep concern over prison conditions in Pakistan that fall significantly short of international standards, with inmates facing numerous systemic challenges, including severe overcrowding, unhygienic living conditions and limited contact with family etc.
The committee expressed severe dissatisfaction with the current state of Pakistan’s prison system. The session, which featured an in-depth briefing by the chairman of the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) on the prison system and the implementation of laws related to the prevention of torture and punishment.
The committee discussed several critical issues, including overcrowding, prolonged pre-trial detention, and the systemic neglect of vulnerable populations such as women and juveniles in prisons.
Despite receiving detailed statistics, Committee Chairperson Samina Mumtaz Zehri lamented that these numbers fail to reflect the true plight of prisoners and the egregious violations of basic human rights faced by individuals whose crimes have not even been determined yet
Senator Irfan Siddiqui pointed out the excessive delay in the judicial process, noting that it can take up to five years for a case to be confirmed, during which time prisoners continue to endure harsh conditions.
“Even after the lengthy process, prisoners are still subjected to jail conditions that resemble punitive measures rather than rehabilitative ones,” said Senator Siddiqui. He also said, “I personally experienced it, even basic facilities are not being provided to the prisoners in jail. They are not even provided with simple sleeping mats.”
Senator Siddiqui emphasised that the slow pace of justice is a major concern, with some prisoners waiting more than five years for their appeals to be heard in the courts.
Chairperson Zehri, in her remarks, expressed her dismay at the inability to address issues such as custodial torture and the treatment of under-trial women and children. She emphasised that the real issue lies not just in the data, but in how various stakeholders—ranging from the police, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), custodians of prisons, and the ministries of Interior, Human Rights and Law—need to collaborate effectively to bring about meaningful reform.
Zehri added, “When the United Nations inquires about the status of human rights implementation, we have no answers. Where are we headed?” She further underlined that a collaborative effort among all concerned parties is essential to improving the system and ensuring justice for those incarcerated.
After discussion, the committee decided to make unannounced visits to various prisons to uncover the true conditions inside. She shared her own experiences, stating that in some jails, prisoners do not even have a place to sleep.
“The actual torture is the mental and physical anguish inflicted by junior officers who take pride in treating prisoners as less than human,” she remarked.
The committee also decided to issue recommendations aimed at various departments, urging the coordination of all relevant stakeholders, and organising further meetings to ensure action is taken.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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