ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Athar Minallah of the Islamabad High Court instructed the federal government on Monday to set up a human rights court within this week, reported the local media, as he held a hearing in a case related to the torture of jail prisoners in Rawalpindi city.
The chief justice visited the Adiala Jail last month where he met with inmates and took a few hours to survey their living conditions.
The prison facility got media coverage in recent weeks after former prime minister Imran Khan’s close aide, Shahbaz Gill, complained of custodial torture while he was in the jail.
“The Islamabad High Court on Monday directed the federal government to establish human rights courts this week,” said Geo News, adding that Justice Minallah had said the cases of rights violation would “be heard in a special court.”
“During the hearing,” the media report added, “Justice Minallah said that the court will not tolerate torture inflicted upon the prisoners and that the inhuman practice of custodial torture should end now.”
According to Samaa TV, he also instructed the human rights ministry to establish a complaint cell at the jail while ordering action against the inspector general prisons in Punjab and the superintendent of Adiala Jail.
Custodial torture is not uncommon in Pakistan where police are widely believed to use it to obtain confessions.
Recently, police in Pakistan’s federal capital suspended one of its officials after a lawyer visiting his office accused him of torturing a citizen in her presence.
Top judge in Pakistani capital orders government to set up human rights court within week
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Top judge in Pakistani capital orders government to set up human rights court within week
- Justice Athar Minallah recently visited the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to survey the living conditions of prisoners
- He said his court would not tolerate the practice of custodial torture while ordering action against relevant officers
