The four Chief Ministers of the country signed the “Islamabad Declaration” on the occasion of the National Conference on Prison Reforms hosted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday under the auspices of the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee at the Supreme Court Auditorium, Islamabad.
The conference marked a significant step towards building a nationally coordinated prison reform framework, with the Provincial Governments expressing their collective commitment to advancing the reform agenda envisioned by the NJPMC.
The conference brought together representatives from the judiciary, federal and provincial governments, prison administrations, human rights institutions, law enforcement agencies, and development partners to deliberate on the future of Pakistan’s prison system through a collaborative and solutions-oriented approach. A defining feature of the conference was the participation of the Chief Ministers of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh, who unanimously reaffirmed their commitment to supporting and implementing the prison reform agenda under the guidance of the NJPMC.
The Federal Minister for Law and Justice and Chairperson of the National Commission for Human Rights also addressed the audience.
Their participation reflected a shared national resolve to strengthen prison administration, improve rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates, uphold human dignity, and modernize correctional services through coordinated federal-provincial cooperation.
In his keynote address, the Chief Justice of Pakistan observed that prisons reflect the true pulse of the criminal justice system and emphasized that meaningful reform requires shared institutional responsibility and sustained provincial leadership.
His lordship welcomed the collective commitment of the Provincial Governments to advancing the NJPMC’s National Prison Reform Action Plan through coordinated and practical reforms.
The conference agreed to reduce the burden of overcrowding in prisons and solve the problems of prisoners.
