According to the information obtained through the Right to Information Act (RTI) in
2019, 868 prisoners at Adiala Jail are suffering from severe diseases and are in
urgent need of medical care. The medical infrastructure in the jail is severely
inadequate. The under-construction rehabilitation centre has not even taken off the
ground for 4 years due to scarcity of funds.
The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee maintains that adequate and
timely medical care must be provided to all detainees as part of state duties to ensure
the enjoyment by all persons of their right to life (Article 6), right to be safeguarded
from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment (Article 7)
and the right to human treatment of prisoners (Article 10) under the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Moreover, Rule 24 of the Mandela
Rules also stipulates that the provision of healthcare for prisoners is a state
responsibility.
It is also advised that SOPs for prisoners to visit hospitals outside jail should also be
improved. Under Prison Rule 197, approval from Home Department is required
before a prisoner is sent to an outside hospital and hence it causes inordinate delays
in provision of medical aid.
13. Empowering Legal Aid Committees
‘Free Legal Aid Committees’ exist at both the district and the provincial levels.
According to The Pakistan Bar Council Free Legal Aid Rules 1999, the purpose of
these committees is to provide legal aid to litigants involved in cases categorized as
accidents, succession issues, family laws, ejectment, illegal detection, abuse of
power and authority by the police or other law enforcement agency, neglect of duties
by Government departments, Local Councils/bodies and local authority/agency and
for public interest litigation.
The Legal Empowerment window under the Law & Justice Commission of Pakistan
is mandated to provide clinical legal aid to clients affected by violation of their
fundamental rights by the executive, especially on matters concerned with criminal
justice and to create public awareness and legal literacy campaigns.
Under a District Legal Empowerment Fund, a deserving litigant, for protection of
genuine legal rights or interests is provided assistance. A District Legal
Empowerment Committee constituted by the Law and Justice Commission with the
concurrence of the concerned High Court and Provincial Government, is composed
of District & Sessions Judge, District Co-ordination Officer, Superintendent District
Jail, President of the District Bar Association, and a representative of the civil
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