Plea to release prisoners over coronavirus

LAHORE:The Lahore High Court has been asked to order the release of prisoners from Punjab jails, who are at risk of the coronavirus.

“Prisoners are also guaranteed the right to life, rather a heavy burden lies on the State to safeguard this most valuable fundamental right because a prisoner does not have the freedom to make choices or decisions to regulate affairs of his/her life,” pleads the petition filed by human rights activists through Advocate Usama Khawar. In Punjab, 29 out of the 41 prisons are overcrowded. Prisons in Punjab have a capacity of 32,477 but the current population of prisoners is 47,077.