PESHAWAR: A writ petition was filed on Friday in the Peshawar High Court (PHC) seeking provision of medical facilities to prisoners in jails across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and a transparent inquiry into deaths of inmates in prisons.
Advocate Shabbir Hussain Gigiani filed the petition. He made the provincial government, inspector general of prisons and other officials respondents.The petitioner contended that adequate treatment facilities were not available to prisoners at Central Prison Peshawar. He alleged that two inmates, Fazal Rehman and Zahir Shah, died due to allegedly not receiving timely medical treatment.
The petition stated that prisoners were being deprived of their basic rights, adding that protection of their lives and provision of medical treatment was a fundamental constitutional responsibility of the state.
According to the petition, secure prison wards should be established at nearby government teaching and district headquarters hospitals to facilitate timely treatment of inmates.It called for regular visits and examinations by teams of specialist doctors through an effective system.
The petition sought provision of medical staff, medicines and other necessary facilities in all jails across the province.It asked the court to be informed about the funds allocated and spent on medical treatment of prisoners in jails, and sought an audit of the expenditure as well as a transparent inquiry into deaths of inmates.
