LHC orders jail officials to appear in prisoner’s treatment case

Rawalpindi:Justice Sohail Nasir of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench Monday has directed secretary government of the Punjab (Home Department), Inspector General (Prison), Lahore and Deputy Inspector General (Prison) Rawalpindi to appear in person on Tuesday (today) at any cost, otherwise strict legal action would be taken against all officers.

Fakhar Imam, confined in District Jail Jhelum, is an under trial prisoner FIR No. 174 registered on 19-06-2021 under Sections of 302/324/148/149 PPC at Police Station, Chotala, District Jhelum.

He was having a serious fracture in right leg. Earlier, Medical Officer (MO) District Jail Jhelum advised to shift him to government hospital, later, on 19-07-2021, Area Magistrate Saima Qureshi also ordered to shift the accused to government hospital but the jail authorities did not obey the court orders.

LHC (Rawalpindi Bench) Justice Sohail Nasir has given strong remarks and said “This is unfortunate that in this country when such situation is related to an influential person, the entire state machinery come into action and all is to be done within minutes. Whereas, in case of a person like petitioner having no social status, the position becomes otherwise. The courts cannot permit such discrimination.”

In order sheet the court remarked that when asked Qaiser Farooq Deputy Superintendent Jail Jhelum maintained that he had written a letter to DIG (Prison) on 23-07-2021. When further asked that why he wrote the letter after four days, he has no answer. The irresponsible conduct of DIG (Prison) Rawalpindi is also there who forwarded the letter to IG (Prison) on 28-07-2021. The same conduct further continued in the office of IG (Prison), Lahore who on 05-08-2021 made a request to Secretary government of the Punjab (Home Department) and still permission is awaited, the court remarked in order sheet.