I recently read one of the sobbing, poignant and touching stories of Sohail Fida from his book, ‘Soul Unshackled’, which he wrote during his time on death row of the horrible Haripur jail in Pakistan. He was subjected to physical and mental torture. His book is an impermeable truth to the countless trials and tribulations that plague our justice system and prisons.
There are so many innocent people who are rioting in jails while criminals are walking free. Victims of such miscarriage is unacceptable to any human society.
Ironically, our country has inherited a prison system from a colonial legacy. The current model of jail system gives the picture of a criminal producing factory instead of a behaviour reformation centre. With the passage of time, the condition of prisons is worsening due to very serious health implications and lack of funds.
In foreign countries like the Netherlands, prisons are being closed down because the cost of maintaining them is too high. There has been steadily declining crime rates, thousands of prison cells are going unused. The prisons are cost-efficient, however, it’s something of a national blessing when there is no persistent crime. There are libraries and recreational places for the reformation of prisoners.
On the contrary, prison reform programs in our country are rare. We need to improve the living conditions of detainees. Honest commissions and committees must be constituted by government of Pakistan in context with a paradigmatic shift in the penal philosophy throughout the country.
Administrative, legislative and reformative measures must be recommended by commissions to address the major problems concerning prisons.
- The reader is an assistance director based in Hyderabad, Pakistan.
