As many as 69 under-trial prisoners, involved in cases of lesser punishment, have been released from the Malir district prison on the direction of Chief Justice Sindh High Court Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The chief justice had ordered the release of as many as 829 under-trial prisoners involved in cases of lesser punishment offences so as to prevent the further spread of coronavirus. The prisoners were incarcerated in different prisons of the province.
The SHC has also discharged all cases before benches at the Karachi principal seat as well as at Sukkur, Larkana and Hyderabad circuit and benches except bail matters, and has also ordered precautionary measures. Also on Thursday, the chief minister had tasked the home department with compiling a list of all the prisoners in the province so they can be provided relief according to the severity of their respective crimes and their health and financial status.
CM had taken the decision where he had presided over a meeting of the home department that was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Ali Shah, Additional Chief Secretary Home Usman Chachar, Principal Secretary to CM Sajid Jamal Abro and IG Prisons Nusrat Mangan.
The chief executive had said the list he had showed that 16,000 people were jailed across the province. “I want you to prepare a list of all the prisoners and divide them into different categories,” he said.
