While giving its verdict on the plight of prisoners in jails and their conditional release, the Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday said that conditional release was the right of a prisoner, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Justice Athar Minallah wrote the five-day judgement.

“Prisoners can be granted conditional release by fulfilling legal requirements. Non-implementation of laws related to conditional release of prisoners is a violation of fundamental human rights,” the Supreme Court said in its ruling.

The court also ordered the federal and provincial governments to immediately implement the laws regarding the conditional release of prisoners.

“The federal and provincial governments immediately implement the laws for conditional release of prisoners,” the Supreme Court ordered.

“Steps should be taken to immediately release prisoners eligible for conditional release,” it added.

“The Law and Justice Commission submitted a report to the federal and provincial governments on the order of the Supreme Court in 2015. The federal and provincial governments’ report on conditional release of prisoners is alarming,” the Supreme Court stated.

“The state of prisons across the country is alarming, Supreme Court. Basic human rights are being affected in prisons due to overcrowding. The current justice system is limited to the elite and the underprivileged people are neglected,” it added.

“Jails are centers for the rehabilitation and reformation of inmates. The state has a constitutional responsibility to ensure that the fundamental rights of a prisoner are not affected,” it declared.

Reporter: Amanat Gishkori