ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved formation of two committees to suggest constitutional reforms and look into the plight of women prisoners, provide recommendations to address constitutional loopholes.
The decision to form the two committees was taken at a meeting presided over by the prime minister on Friday.
A cabinet committee comprising PM’s Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan and Law Minister Farogh Naseem will suggest constitutional reforms and devise a roadmap for implementation of these reforms.
It will meet next week and important decisions will be taken in the light of its recommendations.
The other committee has been formed to suggest reforms for judicial system and women prisoners’ wellbeing.
The other committee, according to the Prime Minister Office (PMO), would look at the plight of women prisoners, whether convicted or awaiting trials, in the overall context of gender bias prevalent in society at large.
While addressing the meeting, PM said that it was the manifesto of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) to ensure provision of easy justice to the people, specially the weak segments of society.
“The confidence of people has almost been shaken in the country’s judicial system and now they are looking towards the PTI government for improvement in the system,” he added.
The committee for women prisoners comprises seven members, with minister of human rights as the chair. Members include: secretary, Ministry of Human Rights (as secretary of the committee); secretary, Ministry of Interior; home secretaries of governments of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan; inspectors general of police of prisons, Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan; Sarah Belal and Haya Zahid.
Terms of Reference (ToRs) of the committee are:
The chairperson may co-opt any person as member of the committee.
To assess whether prison rules, Code of Criminal Procedure-1898 and international best practices are being adhered to with respect to women prisoners, especially their protection, rights, health, security, and wellbeing.
To ensure that gender-specific services are available for women prisoners addressing their physical, psychological, emotional, and sociological needs.
To review prison rules and other relevant laws with a view to suggesting gender-specific changes in order to bring improvements in these rules for women inmates.
To review the overall governance, legal aid and management systems/processes in prison administration, especially with regard to women prisoners and to suggest improvements.
To review individual cases of human rights violations and victimisation of women inmates and suggest measures for institutional accountability.
To review the situation of children accompanying women in jails and work to help mainstream such children, especially with regard to their education and social integration.
To suggest comprehensive and workable system of governance of prisons in the country with a view to ameliorating the plight of women in prison.
To review post-release programmes to ensure that women prisoners are able to adjust in society after they leave the prison.
The committee will submit its report to the prime minister in four months.
