Daily Times

Parliamentary Secretary Law and Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Rubaba Khan Buledi said that Balochistan government has conveyed its opinion to the federal Ministry of Law and Justice regarding setting up of divisional level medical board for assessment of psychogenic inmates.

She said while talking to the Inspector General of Balochistan Prison Malik Shujauddin Kasi who called on her here at the office of the Law Department on Tuesday. Parliamentary Secretary Law said that under Prison Rules 1979, the Federal Ministry of Law and Justice had sought opinion from all provinces on the assessment of mentally ill patients at jails by division medical board instead of a single doctor.

“A written opinion had been sought from the provinces and comprehensive recommendations and reply on the subject matter have been prepared and sent on behalf of Balochistan government,” Parliamentary Secretary Law and Parliamentary Affairs said that prisoners involved in serious crimes, whose relatives claim that they are mentally ill and committed the crime due to mental illness. This stance of the relatives of the prisoners, in routine practice, is confirmed by a single doctor of the prison under the Prison Rules, 1978.

However, The Supreme Court of Pakistan in its judgments has suggested replacing the process of medical certification with a board consisting of medical experts instead of one doctor. As medical prison Rules 1978 duly apply to all four provinces of the country, the Federal Ministry of Law and Justice has asked for their opinion to improve jail rules. Following the directives of the apex court, a comprehensive reply with written proposals has been prepared and sent by Balochistan government to the ministry of Law and Justice.