Court moved for release of prisoners over virus risk

LAHORE: First prisoner in the City has confirmed Covid-19 positive. A Constitutional writ petition, requesting release of prisoners from Punjab jails, who are at risk of coronavirus, has been filed before the Lahore High Court on Tuesday.

The writ has been filed by human rights activists concerned from Public Lawyers Front through Advocate Usama Khawar Ghumman. The petitioners have pointed out that unhygienic and overall poor condition of prisons in this country has been extensively documented.

Earlier, Islamabad High Court appointed a Commission, headed by Minister of Human Rights, which reported the data collected from prison authorities, analysing the existing prison rules in light of international standards set by the UN. According to the Commission report, the prisons in Pakistan are overcrowded beyond capacity; 144 known jails in Pakistan have a capacity of 57,742 persons whereas the current inmate population is 77,275 people, with 48,008 under-trial and 25,456 convicts.