📝 AI Summary — Plain-Language Overview
This case, decided by the Federal Shariat Court in 2010, dealt with the rights of prisoners to maintain family and conjugal relationships while incarcerated in Pakistan. The petitioner, Dr. Muhammad Aslam Khakhi, raised the issue in the context of prison rules and constitutional provisions relating to family life and dignity.
The court examined Rule 545-A of the Pakistan Prisons Rules, 1978, which allows prisoners special meetings with their spouses and children, calling it a positive and welcome development. The court held that spouses and children have a legitimate claim on prisoners to maintain family ties, and encouraged provincial Home Departments to formulate clear policies allowing married prisoners, excluding those sentenced to life imprisonment or death, to avail a week's parole every four months to preserve family life. It further suggested that for lifers and condemned prisoners, arrangements could be made for family reunions within special family quarters inside prison premises, since this could also help ease overcrowding and improve prisoner behavior.
The court directed all provincial governments and the federal Interior Secretary to review and strengthen these facilities, and to submit reports on the steps taken by the end of 2010, with a further review scheduled in 2011.
This judgment matters because it recognized that maintaining family bonds is an important human and constitutional right, even for those in custody, and pushed authorities to create structured, humane mechanisms for prisoners to stay connected with their families.
یہ مقدمہ، جس کا فیصلہ وفاقی شرعی عدالت نے 2010ء میں سنایا، پاکستان میں قید کے دوران قیدیوں کے خاندانی اور ازدواجی تعلقات برقرار رکھنے کے حق سے متعلق تھا۔ درخواست گزار، ڈاکٹر محمد اسلم کھاکھی نے یہ معاملہ جیل کے قواعد اور خاندانی زندگی اور وقار سے متعلق آئینی دفعات کے تناظر میں اٹھایا۔
عدالت نے پاکستان پرزنز رولز 1978ء کے رول 545-اے کا جائزہ لیا، جو قیدیوں کو ان کے شریکِ حیات اور بچوں کے ساتھ خصوصی ملاقاتوں کی اجازت دیتا ہے، اور اسے ایک مثبت اور خوش آئند پیش رفت قرار دیا۔ عدالت نے قرار دیا کہ شریکِ حیات اور بچوں کا قیدیوں پر یہ جائز حق ہے کہ خاندانی رشتے برقرار رکھے جائیں، اور صوبائی محکمہ ہائے داخلہ کو ترغیب دی کہ وہ واضح پالیسیاں مرتب کریں جن کے تحت شادی شدہ قیدی، سوائے عمر قید یا سزائے موت پانے والوں کے، ہر چار ماہ بعد ایک ہفتے کی پیرول حاصل کر سکیں تاکہ خاندانی زندگی برقرار رہے۔ اس کے علاوہ عدالت نے تجویز
Generated from the full judgment text below — not a substitute for reading the actual opinion.
Prisoner can meet his wife and children in Pakistan according to the provisions of this judgment.. Citation Name : 2010 PLD 1 FEDERAL-SHARIAT-COURT Side Appellant : Dr. MUHAMMAD ASLAM KHAKHI Side Opponent : STATE R. 545-A---Constitution of Pakistan (1973), Arts.203-DD, 25(3), 35 & 38---Family life of prisoners---Special meetings---Conjugal Oriented Parole Scheme---Federal Shariat Court appreciated the introduction of Rule 545-A in the Pakistan Prisons Rules, 1978 and remarked that "indeed it was a welcome start"---Court also observed that the Home Department can formulate a policy wherein the married prisoners, except lifers and condemned prisoners, are enabled and encouraged, subject to all necessary and reasonable conditions, to avail a week's parole every four month in the larger interest of maintenance of family life---Spouse and child ren of the accused have a legitimate claim upon the latter---Family union of the condemned prisoners and lifers can be arranged in the family quarters within the prison walls; it will not only have a salutary effect upon the prison population but these steps will be ;positive measures towards reduction of some problems arising on account of over population in the prisons---Shariat Court hoped that all the Provincial Governments will consider the matter particularly relating to family life of prisoners, and make amends by extending on the one hand the scope of amended Rule 544, but also take positive steps to introduce Conjugal-Oriented Parole Scheme in appropriate cases and also initiate family reunion on auspicious occasions within the prison precincts in the larger interest of preservation of family life---Court further hoped that necessary action will be taken by the end of 2010 and a report to that effect will be sent by the Secretaries Home of all the Provincial Governments, Secretary Interior, Government of Pakistan will also send his own report containing an objective assessment as regards the efforts made and steps taken in this regard---Said reports must reach the Registrar of Federal Shariat Court by 31-1-2011 whereafter this aspect of the case will be examined in February, 2011.