Over 8000 death row prisoners in Pakistan languishing in jails for decades
March 16th, 2011 - 12:40 pm ICT by ANIIslamabad, Mar 16(ANI): Over 8000 prisoners sentenced with death by Pakistani courts during the last two decades are still waiting to meet their fate in the country’s death cells, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has said.
According to the data collected from the various sources and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) working for prisoners’ rights in Pakistan, the jails of Punjab have the maximum number of prisoners awaiting the death sentence.
Among the 8000 prisoners are females, young people, older citizens and also foreign nationals.
Awaiting the death sentence for an indefinite period is a terrible process for a prisoner, and many of them become psychotic, the report said.
“The philosophy of jail is actually to make the criminals and accused one, a respectable citizen of the country. But unfortunately here in Pakistani jail, the prisoners instead become hard criminals and get involved in heinous activities in the jails due to the environment in which they are forced to live. The most wanted criminals have organized networks in Pakistani jails,” prisoner rights campaigner Sarim Burney said.
The delay in the death sentence of these prisoners is actually due to the lengthy process of appeals and the slow and inefficient judicial system in the country, he added.
Senior lawyer Shahid Khattak blamed the ‘incompetent and negligent police personnel’ for the severe delay in the death sentence cases, and said: “The poor police performance and tactics to mould the cases according to their own vested interest is the reason behind the delay in the criminal cases.”
The report said that some prisoners who have been awarded the death sentence ‘prefer to remain in prison’ due to family enmity and the possibility of being killed.
“I am safe is jail until there is a formal friendship agreement finalized between my family and our rival group. I had not applied even for the bail and I am in jail for last seven years,” said a death row prisoner.
According to the report, there are also prisoners who are operating their criminal networks while sitting in Pakistani jails with the proper assistance and full cooperation of jails authorities. (ANI)
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