BEHIND BARS, BEYOND JUSTICE: URGENT REFORMS FOR PAKISTAN’S PRISONS

Abstract

Pakistan's prison system is in urgent need of enhanced reforms that require immediate attention, such as issues of overcrowding, poor living conditions, and a lack of rehabilitation programs, which we are seeing as severe issues in Pakistan prisons. We have a large number of inmates who are under trial prisoners who are spending years waiting for their cases to be heard, which is a result of the judicial system's delay. Also, we see that access to health care, legal advice, and vocational training is minimal, which adds to their hardships. Although we have seen recent policy changes and court interventions, which have brought some improvements, the prison system as a whole is still very much of a punitive nature as opposed to a rehabilitative one. This study looks at the key issues in Pakistan's prisons and also looks at the reform which is on going. It puts forth the need for alternative sentencing, better legal representation for the under-trial prisoners, and also better prison infrastructure. Also, its most important focus is to shift from punishment to rehabilitation by way of giving inmates education, vocational training, and mental health support. For fundamental changes to take place in prison reform, we see that there has to be a collective effort from the government, judiciary, and civil society to put in place that which will make sure that prison does, in fact, serve the purpose of the justice system, which at the same time upholds human dignity.