Speakers stress proper care of prisoners

PESHAWAR: Speakers at a seminar here on Thursday stressed the need for taking proper care of the prisoners in various prisons across the province so that they could be made useful citizens of the society.

They were speaking at a seminar on “The Need for Jail Reforms” arranged by Institute for Regional Studies (IRS) here. Inspector General Prisons Mohammad Usman Mehsud was the keynote speaker on the occasion, while the seminar was also addressed by IRS Chairman Dr Mohammad Iqbal Khan, provincial president AlKhidmat Foundation Khalid Waqas Chamkani, former member National Assembly and deputy provincial chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Sabir Hussain Awan, noted columnist Alamgir Afridi and others.

Mohammad Usman said that 40 percent of the country’s population was living below the poverty line and they were deprived of the basic right of having sufficient food and water to eat and drink, while in prisons the inmates involved in various kinds of crimes were provided free food and drinks. He lauded the role being played by the AlKhidmat Foundation for introducing various reforms and serving the prisoners in collaboration with Jail authorities.

The IG Prisons said that the government was working on comprehensive reforms in the prisons. In order to make the prisoners useful citizens various schemes, including computer laboratories and skill development centres, have been launched in prisons with the support of AlKhidmat Foundation.

“The prisoners, who produce useful products, are given monthly remuneration,” he said. Soon bank accounts would be opened for such prisoners with the cooperation of Bank of Khyber so that these prisoners could cater the needs of their families, he added.

The IG prison informed that in view of travel expenses soon a series of connecting family members of the prisoners living in far-flung areas through video link would be launched.

Similarly, the revenue collected under various heads from jails was spent on the well-being of the prisoners. Earlier, these funds used to be deposited in the national exchequer, he further informed.

“The prisoners in jails are like birds in cages and taking good care of them is a religious, national and moral obligation,” he said, adding that uprooting unfair and corrupt practices in prisons was his top priority and a policy of zero tolerance has been adopted for the purpose.

Khalid Waqas said that Alkhidmat Foundation has been pursuing a comprehensive programme for the well-being of prisoners for the past several years.

The provision of clean drinking water, free medical care, character building and skill development were some main components of the Alkhidmat Foundation, he added.

He said that the Alkhidmat was not a public sector organisation but still it was doing a lot for the well-being of prisoners and the process could be expanded further in future.

Sabir Hussain Awan said that the prisoners were treated like animals in the prisons. Corrupt practices in prisons were very common as those belonging to rich families were making merry and the poor ones had nowhere to go, he added He said that there was a greater need for massive reforms in prisons and the government should focus its attention on it.