SHC orders helping uninformed convicts file appeals

The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed the inspector general of prisons and all the jail superintendents in the province on Wednesday to help uninformed convicts file their jail appeals.

SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh ordered ensuring the jail appeals of all convicted prisoners unable to file them through an advocate be forwarded to the relevant jail superintendents for further proceedings.

The ruling came on applications of convicted prisoners against non-filing of their appeals due to lack of awareness or unavailability of counsels.

CJ Sheikh said in his judgement that in several cases no appeal was filed by convicted inmates because they were either unable to engage a counsel or unaware of the procedure as envisaged under Section 420 of the Criminal Procedure Code to move an appeal from prison through the relevant jail superintendent.

Sheikh also said the jail authorities had failed to perform their statutory duties and fulfil their responsibilities in accordance with the terms of Rule 90 of the Prisons Act 1894, whereby they were required to inform the accused about the period within which they could file an appeal against their order of conviction.

The CJ directed the prisons IG and all the jail superintendents to act in accordance with the terms of Rule 90 and ensure that if an accused person was convicted and then unable to file an appeal through an advocate, then his jail appeal should be forwarded by the relevant prison superintendent within the stipulated period, failing which the superintendent would face strict disciplinary action.