ISLAMABAD: Senate`s Standing Committee on Human Rights on Monday directed the interior ministry to install mobile jammers in prisons across the country to block the militants and criminals` information network inside the jails.

The committee`s meeting was chaired by Senator Afrasiab Khattak and attended by senators Mohammad Azam Khan Swati, Sardar Ali Khan and Suriya Amiruddin.

Taking note of reports that militants and criminals have a strong information network inside jails, the committee also directed that jamming equipments should be installed with the cooperation and support of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). This direction was issued after IGP Prisons Sindh told the body that mobile jammers installed in the Central Jail, Karachi, were withdrawn due to “legal pressures” from the telecom regulator. The committee was informed that most of the militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa prisons have been reportedly making threatening calls to the officials.

The Inspector Generals of three provinces – Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan – informed the committee that they wanted to stop the use of mobile phone in the prisons but the PTA has not allowed it.

Qudratullah, Khyber Pakktunkhwa`s IGP Prison, told the committee as there were no separate jails or barracks, militants are kept in general barracks with other prisoners. “Mobile phones are secretly available to them and these terrorists are operating their networks from jails” Jailed militants have made threatening calls to jail officials, he added. IG Prisons Balochistan Shujauddin Kasi said whenever SIMs or cellphones are recovered from hardened militants or criminals, they are confiscated. Nasir Hayat, additional secretary interior, assured the committee that the jammer facility would be provided to all prisons and the issues with the PTA would be resolved soon.

Senators quizzed police officials over conditions in jails, criticising lack of transparency in the routine affairs within the prison walls. But the officials pointed towards lack of proper law, speedy trial of terrorists, and overcrowded prisons.

“Since majority of the terrorists are able to get bails, they are confident of doing anything they want inside jails,” said Mr Qudratullah. “A terrorist was arrested in Nowshera along with suicide jacket but he got bail from court.”

The committee was informed that in Punjab prisons have 53,000 criminals and under-trial persons against the capacity of 21,527 persons. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa three prisons in Mansehra, Batagran and Kohistan were badly damaged in the floods last year. They still await reconstruction.
Source: Dawn
Date:5/17/2011