ISLAMABAD: The federal government was ordered to set up human rights courts this week by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday.
The instructions were given by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah during a case involving the abuse of prisoners at the Adiala Jail.
According to the chief justice, a special court will hear instances involving abuses of human rights. He claimed that there are robust human rights laws that can address transgressions.
Justice Minallah stated at the hearing that the court will not allow the infliction of torture on the detainees and that the cruel practise of detention torture needs to stop right away.
He commanded that the Punjab Inspectorate General of Prisons and the Adiala Jail superintendent be brought to justice.
“No one is safe anymore, not even Arshad Sharif,” the PTI leader Asad Umar declared at this point.
The IHC chief justice said that even the food brought for the prisoners by the visitors is taken away by the staff.
An official of the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) informed the court that 11 children have been granted bail but have no place to go.
At this, the chief justice asked: “Why shouldn’t we keep those children in Prime Minister or Chief Minister’s House?
“Why shouldn’t we keep those children at the Prime Minister or Chief Minister’s House?” the chief justice questioned in response.
According to the NCHR secretary, there is only one male doctor for every 4,000 convicts, and around 1,400 prisoners are drug users.
Justice Minallah responded that NCHR has extensive authority and even has the ability to appoint advisors.
He said that not even the jail administrator could block the commission from visiting any prisoner. He told the secretary, “This court gives you all the objections it receives every day.
Asad Umar should receive a copy of the report so that he can inform his government in Punjab, as ordered by Justice Minallah.
