Staff Reporter
The Federal Ombudsman Secretariat has presented its 7th quarterly implementation report on the progress of implementation in improving jails conditions of Pakistan. In this regard the Federal Ombudsman Syed Tahir Shahbaz held online meetings during last quarter due to corona pandemic with the four provincial chief secretaries/relevant stakeholders i.e. Home Departments and IG Prisons of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhaw, Sindh and Balochistan and Ministry of Interior. The report was presented in the Supreme Court in Suo Motu Case No.1 of 2016 by the Secretary WMS Dr. Jamal Nasir and Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmed Khokhar, Senior Adviser Law of Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat.
Syed Tahir Shahbaz, the Federal Ombudsman has said that his office has been making its utmost efforts to improve jails conditions, changing the mindset and to remove the irritants of criminal administrative justice system. The progress of the Provincial, District Oversight Committees and Welfare Committees to improve life of prisoners especially children, women and destitute prisoners was discussed decisively with all the stakeholders of four provinces. All the provinces has informed that they had already constituted District, Welfare and Provincial Oversight Committees and their regular meetings have been regularly conducted. The Sind government has not yet constituted its Provincial Oversight Committee and the Federal Ombudsman directed them to constitute and make it functional as early as possible. All the provinces informed that they had revisited the expansion of probation and parole facilities with certain recommendations so that pressure on accommodation facilities in jails could be curtailed.
