ISLAMABAD, March 6: Prisoners are the most neglected part of our society while jails have become crime-promoting centres and the community hate them due to lack of awareness.

This was stated by Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Director I.A. Rehman during a briefing on "Prison reforms" at the Centre for Democratic Development here on Saturday.

"Prisoners are suffering; but some are suffering more due to the 150-year-old prison laws. These included the vulnerable children, the sick, foreigners and those on the death row, especially women, for whom nothing is being done," he added.

The deliberations focused on the miserable and tragic state of affairs in some of the worst jails, such as Muchch Jail in Balochistan, Mianwali and Sheikhupura jails, etc.

The government's failure to solve the problems of over- crowded jails, check crime rate as well as various laws such as foreigners act, vagrancy law and laws concerning women and children in prisons also came under discussion.

According to statistics shared by Coordinator Penal Reforms (HRCP) Rao Abid, till 2003 prison population had exceeded 80,500 in all the 89 jails of the country against the capacity of not more than 35,500.

Besides, the prison staff, not more than 13,000 in total, had no prior training before they went on the job.

The number of convicted prisoners was 17,073, and those still awaiting justice or under-trial exceeded 53,891.

Only the Adiala Jail that could only accommodate 1,900 was home to nearly 5,500 inmates.

Sketching a gloomy picture of prisons, Mr Rehman said approximately 550 prisoners were sentenced to death every year. "Of whom only 15 to 18 were executed each year while others would rot in enclosed walls for ten to twelve years before their sentences were carried out."

Sharing a case with the participants, Mr Rehman said an 80- year-old man was recently hanged in Peshawar Jail after 12 years of conviction.

Addressing the difficulties faced by women and children, Mr Rehman said the HRCP had found children between the age of nine to 11 years arrested and sent to Adiala Jail without any charges or cases.

Mr Abid said prisoners were the most oppressed. He said even prison manuals, which entitled prisoners to certain rights, were not followed and very little reforms had been implemented.

He also spoke about the treatment meted out to the illegally detained prisoners in India and Pakistan.

"The treatment is more than human flesh and blood could bear. Similar is the case of the Palestinian hijackers in Adiala Jail who have been detained for over two decades, passing four to five years of extra time," he maintained.

Mr Rehman and Mr Abid said it was high time both the HRCP and the parliamentarians took practical steps to help the prisoners in the country.