The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday threw out the petition against the suspension of Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi staff, saying it was inadmissible for the hearing. Speaking on the occasion, IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Justice Athar Minallah said that the case did not fall in the court’s jurisdiction. “This is a human rights issue; this is certainly a big issue,” he remarked.  Addressing Ali Bukhari, the counsel for the petitioners, he said, “Allow me to tell what kind of treatment the jail staff metes out to the prisoners.” Concurring with the observation made by the CJ, the counsel said the fact was those who were involved in the inhuman treatment of prisoners were allowed to go scot-free, while those who were innocent were suspended.  Justice Minallah told him that on his orders, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) was working on the case.   Hardly 24 hours ago, Tuesday September 27, 2022, the IHC, while declaring Adiala Jail a detention camp, had ordered the National Commission for Human Rights to launch investigation into the alleged torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners in the jail.

“The allegations levelled in the petition of a prisoner are, prima facie, not baseless,” the court said. “According to the confidential report, the Adiala Jail has been turned into a detention camp instead of being run according to the law,” the court added. “In the jail, prisoners are treated inhumanely, and there take place gross violations of human rights,” the court stated. “The court hereby orders National Commission for Human Rights to investigate human rights violations in Adiala Jail,” the court ordered. The Punjab member of the National Commission for Human Rights was ordered to submit an investigation report to the IHC as soon as possible. And four days ago, responding to the complaint of an inmate, Justice Minallah had visited Adiala Jail.  During his visit, he heard stories of corruption and torture inflicted on prisoners by the jail staff.  After his visit, the Punjab government and the Inspector General of Prisons, Punjab had suspended several staffers.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP