PM opposes facilities to influential prisoners

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has emphatically opposed provision of undue facilities and concessions to the influential plunderers of national wealth and people implicated in white-collar crimes in the prisons and he has maintained that it’s contrary to the call of justice to accord preferential treatment in identical offence to the affluent and poor.

Chairing a meeting on legal reforms here Friday , he said that it’s the will of the masses that the wealth looted by criminals must be recovered who had robbed hard earned money of the people.

“The government is determined about its mission in this regard,” he said. The meeting was attended by SAPM on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Law Minister Barrister Farogh Naseem, SAPM Yousaf Beg Mirza, KP Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, FBR Chairman Shabbar Zaidi, Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat, KP Law Minister Sultan Khan and senior officials. The prime minister said the PTI government is resolute to provide justice to the people. The Prime Minister said provision of inexpensive and speedy justice is not only a right of citizens, but it also has direct bearing on the lives of common man. Imran Khan emphasised that no society can survive without justice.

Referring to legislation on rights of vulnerable segments of society, especially women, children and poor, the prime minister regretted that women are still denied their legal right in some areas of our society. He said existing laws failed to deliver as they were complicated and difficult in implementation. He said the incumbent government is simplifying the laws to provide women their due right. On the issue of disposing of cases in a certain time period, Imran Khan said the concerned laws will be modified to ensure that those cases are disposed of on time that have been lingering for years. He said justice delayed is tantamount to justice denied. The prime minister said the government is working on legislation to provide poor and destitute people legal aid from state. He said those people will also be assisted who are facing prison terms due to non-payment of fines.