SHC tells law officers to file comments in UTPs’ verification case

Karachi
The Sindh High Court has directed the federal and provincial law officers to file comments in connection with the identity of under-trial prisoners through the biometric system and verification of identity through the record of the National Database Registration Authority.
The directives came on a petition seeking the constitution of a judicial commission in fake prisoners’ case.
The petitioner, the Ansar Burney Trust International, submitted in the petition that media reports regarding 41 fake prisoners had come to light during a briefing to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the security situation in the province. It was disclosed that at least 41 ‘fake prisoners’ were lodged in Sindh’s jails in place of others, allowing the real ones to move about freely.
The petitioner submitted that it was a shocking report and caused panic among the public at large raising many questions of great concern pertaining to the violation of human rights. The court was prayed to order the constitution of a high profile judicial commission including human right organisations for the purpose of visibility and transparency of the investigation into the matter. The court was also asked to order strict action against the officials involved in such incident. The petitioner requested the release of innocent prisoners and asked the court to direct jail authorities to compile the data of all prisoners who were in prison without committing any crime.
The senior superintendent central prison submitted in the comments that thje record of the prisoners were verified and it was found that prisoners were the same who were arrested by the police and remanded by the trial courts.
He submitted that the police administration had issued several letters to the police authorities concerned to deposit a copy of ID card of the accused to avoid any untoward situation in future.