Khursheed, Qaim, others visit central prison to see MPA

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, accompanied by the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, some provincial ministers and party leaders, visited the Karachi Central Jail on Friday to meet an MPA of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party, Ali Nawaz Shah, who is serving a five-year term there which was awarded to him by an Accountability Court a day earlier.
Sources privy to the visit said that “A” class had been ordered for the incarcerated lawmaker in view of his being an elected representative but also in view of his educational qualifications and his being a former federal and provincial minister.
The chief minister reportedly ordered the officials concerned to provide utmost assistance to the incarcerated MPA as an appeal would be filed in a superior court against the judgment of the Accountability Court.
The chief minister also reportedly asked legal officials to see if the MPA could be released from prison either on bail or on parole.
The chief minister also directed the jail officials to provide all possible health treatment and other due facilities to the MPA of the ruling party.
A spokesman for the Chief Minister’s House said that the chief minister had met the imprisoned MPA Ali Nawaz Shah on personal grounds as both the CM and the lawmaker had been old friends who had jointly struggled for the Pakistan People’s Party in the past.
Meanwhile, the chief minister during his official tour of the Central Prison announced remission of 60 days in the sentences of those prisoners languishing in the jails of Sindh who had been involved in offences of a minor nature.
The orders of the Sindh CM would not be applicable on the criminals who had been convicted by the anti-terrorism courts and those who had been involved in heinous offences including terrorism, target killings, murders, kidnappings for ransom, robberies and extortions.
Nine inmates of the Karachi Central Prison would benefit from the CM’s remission while the number of those who are to benefit from the remission across the province is 500.
The chief minister also asked the jail authorities to prepare and submit to him a list of those prisoners who had served their terms but were still in jail because of non-payment of penalty amount so that the government would pay their penalty on their behalf.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah also directed the authorities concerned to ensure foolproof security at all the prisons of the province.
He said that it was a very important component of the National Action Plan.
He also went round other parts of jail, which included prisoners’ wards; society for Advancement of Health, Education and Environment for rehabilitation of prisoners; computer training and language centre and school of Arts and Music, where prisoners are being trained in different skills.
The CM also inquired about these academic and leisure activities being conducted by the jail authorities and their results for the inmates.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said that there was no leniency for the hardened criminals involved in cases of terrorism, target killings, kidnappings, extortions and other heinous crimes.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah soon after his arrival at the Central Prison went to the kitchen of the central jail where he inspected and even tasted food being prepared for the prisoners.
Sindh Minister for Local Government, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Minister for Transport, Mumtaz Jakhrani, and Home Secretary Mukhtar Hussain Soomro were also present during the visit.