Sindh mulls releasing convicted prisoners.

ISLAMABAD -- Amid Covid-19 concerns, the Sindh Home Department has proposed providing temporary relief to convicted prisoners by suspending their convictions and releasing them for a few months.

A two-page summary, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, has been sent by the department to Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah for its approval from the provincial cabinet.

The summary says that the Inspector General of Prisons, Sindh, on March 26 wrote a letter to the home department in which he raised the issue of coronavirus spreading among inmates.

Currently, 16,024 prisoners are confined in various jails of Sindh province against an authorised capacity of 13538 inmates, the letter states.

The said overcrowding at the prisons poses imminent threat and may lead to spread of infection inside the prisons, adds the letter.

In this regard the summary says that the IG requested that the provincial government may exercise their powers conferred under Sections 401 CrPC 1898 read with Sections 402, 402A, 402B, 402C, 402D, respectfully in order to protect the lives of prisoners.

The summary proposes that under Section 401(1) CrPC, the provincial government may suspend the execution of the sentence of convicts in the prisons of Sindh, subject to the condition as in Section 402C CrPC, ATC, 9C of Narcotics Act for a period of four months with review of COVID-19 situation in three months.

The summary proposes that convicts be released after the execution of surety bond; ii) to be released on parole; iii) to report back jail on the completion of suspended period of sentence; iv) any further condition which IG Prison/Home Department may deem fit for ensuring their return on the...