IHC orders release of over 400 prisoners as coronavirus cases rise

Thu, March 26, 2020

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday ordered the release of over 400 prisoners as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases continues to soar across the country.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah issued the order and said a committee, consisting of officials from three bodies – would be established to determine the bail of the accused.

He said prisoners must satisfy the committee in order to be released, adding that if the committee does not approve then the accused will remain in prison. The IHC chief justice also underscored that the committee must follow government policy.

“In this situation, prisoners cannot be kept in isolation. Prisoners have the right to survive too,” he added.

CJ Minallah said prisoners in the United States have also been released, adding that only those prisoners would be released who have been imprisoned without punishment.

“Those accused who are a threat to society should not be released,” he added.

The nationwide tally of COVID-19 patients topped 875. In Karachi, the police claimed to have arrested at least 119 people by the evening, registering 29 cases for the violation of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in the wake of the government’s lockdown orders.

Karachi police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon stated that citizens should not unnecessarily leave their houses, advising them to be safe and to safeguard others. Adding that general stores and hospitals would remain open, he appealed to Karachiites to cooperate with the police.

At the same time, Civil Lines SHO Salahuddin Qazi was suspended for mistreating violators of the ban.

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