Jailed women alleged police officials for asking them for physical relations
FAIZA GILLANI
MUZAFFARABAD: Muzaffarabad police allegedly involved in the acts of keeping women at police station and jails without First Information Report (FIR). Jailed women told Daily Country News that they are being interrogated and beaten by male investigative officers. They also alleged police officials for cursing them and forcing them to maintain physical relation with them. One of the prisoners told that police kept her at police station for 08 days without FIR. She faced violence during these days, she added.
Speaking to Daily Country News, jailed women said that they are facing inhuman behavior of police in jails. Police keeps on torturing them mentally to accept what they want. Not only police officers and officials are rude with them but the lawyers who visit jails also misbehave with them. Besides this, there are no proper arrangements for prisoners. There is lack of hygienic food for them. In case of bad health condition there is no proper medicines setup in the jails.
Human rights activist and senior lawyer Kausar Awan Advocate said that the number of women involved in criminal activities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir is very low. But, still there is lack of proper facilities. Women are being harassed in the jails. Prisoners are being given facilities across the globe. They are being taught in the jails. They get technical and religious education. But, in our jails there are no facilities for prisoners, she added.
While giving her remarks on topic, member Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Nisara Abbasi said that women in jails should be given full protection. They should not be harassed in police stations and jails. No one should be allowed to violate the basic human rights. Strict action should be taken against those who are involved in harassing the women in jails, she further said.
Former Deputy Speaker Shaheen Kausar Dar said that there should be female staff and even female jail superintendent to ensure the protection of women prisoners from physical assault.
There are 4 women prisoners in Muzaffarabad Jail, 03 in Palandari, 05 in Mirpur, 03 in Rawalakot, 02 in Bagh, 03 in Kotli, and 01 in Bhimber. IG Prisons, Hameed Mughal said when contacted that the department is committed for providing all the basic facilities to the prisoners. If there are still some issues, then the department will resolve them on priority basis, he added.