In Pakistan, female prisoners encounter bias and ill-treatment, with several experiencing verbal and physical harassment. Moreover, they are deprived of medical attention by both the jail personnel and fellow inmates, reported Lahore-based daily newspaper The Nation.
The ordeal of being incarcerated often entails distress, inequity, and shattered expectations for women. In Pakistan, many women are grappling with a harsh existence within the confines of the prison walls, which may be difficult for most of us to fathom. Every day, they struggle to endure a system that appears to have abandoned them. Despite their voices being stifled, their anguish cannot be ignored, opined ANI.
Samina Shah, an educationist, philanthropist and social worker, working for the uplift of women in Pakistan said, “Arbitrary detention is one of the most pressing issues faced by women in Pakistani prisons.”
She also said, “Many women are detained without charge or trial, often as a result of cultural and social norms that view women as property and restrict their freedom of movement and association,” adding that a clear violation of international human rights standards, which require that all detainees be afforded due process and a fair trial, as per a report penned by Muhammad Ali Falak in a Pakistan English Daily.
Most women detained for drug-related crimes: Report
In 2020, Shumaila Kanwal, a 27-year-old woman, passed away while in custody on allegations of drug trafficking. Her demise has highlighted the problem of custodial deaths in Pakistan, which are frequently linked to maltreatment and exploitation by law enforcement personnel and jail staff.