Pakistan: Women unsafe, even in jails

Justice Mazhar Iqbal Sidhu of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday took serious notice of supply of young prisoner girls for adultery from jails of Punjab in dark of night and of the provision of liquor, heroin and other narcotics to inmates by the corrupt staff of the jails. Justice Sidhu was hearing an appeal against acquittal of former DIG Malik Iqbal and other accused prison officials in the case of the killing of four civil judges in Sialkot Jail shootout incident in 2003. When asked, the Sialkot jail superintendent told the court that supply of inmate girls from jails for unethical activities was done mostly in connivance with lower grade jail officials and high ranking officials were not involved in such practice. “Many cases have surfaced in which the high ups were involved in such activities and also when such case is presented before them they do not take action,” the judge replied. Senior lawyer of criminal case Aftab Bajwa said many cases were pending in the court on this issue. The court was adjourned for Thursday (today). The present appeals were moved by the father of Shahryar Syed, the deceased civil judge, against the 10 years jail sentence each awarded to Raja Mushtaq, Assistant Superintendent and Muhammad Hafeez, Warden of the District jail Sialkot, and acquittal of the others police and jail officers of higher position. The appellant, questioning the decision of Sialkot Anti-terrorism Special Court Judge Mazhar Mustaqeem, sought enhancement in the sentence of the two and punishment to others. The incident took place during an inspection visit of the Sialkot district and sessions judge, who was accompanied by the deceased judge and was killed by the inmates. It may be recalled that nine persons including four civil judges and five prisoners were killed in the said incident when a group of prisoners took the judges hostage to secure their escape and a shootout between the prisoners and the police took place.