The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Thursday submitted to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) report on complaints of corruption and torture at Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The court summoned the secretary of human rights to appear in person tomorrow. 

Chief Justice (CJ) of the IHC Justice Athar Minallah warned the Adiala Jail superintendent of strict action if any prisoner complained of torture. 

He further said that political parties in the country made tall claims about human rights. “But these parties do nothing when they come to power,” he regretted. 

Those who greased jail administrators’ palms, he went on to add, even used cellphones inside prisons and meet their near and dear ones. “Don’t poor prisoners have rights?” he questioned. 

The Adiala Jail officials, on the occasion, told the CJ that the jail had the capacity to accommodate 2, 100 prisoners, but 6, 200 had been crammed into it. 

“This is the biggest violation of human rights,” Justice Minallah said, adding, “It is the administrators’ job to improve the condition of jails.”

“Whatever happens in jails is no secret,” he remarked.

He vowed that the court would now take the matter to its logical conclusion.

Reporter: Ehtisham Kiani