HRCP for criminal justice reforms to address Punjab prison overcrowding
LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called for urgent reforms to the criminal justice system as prisons across the country remain severely overcrowded, with Punjab’s 45 prisons operating at more than 190 per cent of their designated capacity in September. In its policy paper, Beyond the Prison Wall: Reducing Overcrowding in Pakistan’s Prisons, released on Tuesday, the HRCP…
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has urged immediate reforms to Pakistan's criminal justice system to tackle the severe prison overcrowding problem. In a recent policy paper, the HRCP highlighted that prisons nationwide were operating far above their designated capacities, with Punjab's 45 prisons at over 190% capacity in September 2026.
The commission argued that overcrowding was not simply a result of building more jails, but a symptom of deeper issues such as ineffective bail procedures, prolonged trials, slow investigations, and limited use of probation and parole. In Punjab alone, there were 74,773 prisoners in September 2026 against a designated capacity of 39,204, leading to overcrowding of 190.73%.
Under-trial prisoners made up 74% of the total prison population, up from 51,428 among 70,069 inmates in September 2025. Nationally, prisons were operating at an average of 152.2% capacity in July-August 2024, with under-trial prisoners accounting for 73.41% of the prison population, according to 2024 data. The HRCP pointed out that the high number of under-trial detainees reflected an over-reliance on pre-trial detention, ineffective bail, and prolonged judicial processes.
They recommended revising the bail framework to align with constitutional principles, limiting police and prosecution's role in detention decisions, and promoting alternatives to pre-trial detention like release on personal recognizance or house arrest. The commission also called for greater use of probation and parole, better prosecution services, and reforms to trial courts to ensure fairer outcomes based on evidence.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
