KARACHI, July 20: Forty-six women prisoners, getting benefit from the recent amendment to the law by the president, had been released on bail from the Special Prison for Women in the city till Thursday, it is learnt reliably.
According to sources, 19 of them are being tried for Zina under the Hudood Ordinace, 11 are being tried for murder and the rest for theft, robbery and other pity crimes.
The sources said 33 other women prisoners also qualified for bail after the recent amendment to the law and their cases were in courts.
Shamaila Yasmeen, who is being tried in a murder case, secured bail from the court and was released on Thursday afternoon after over a year in jail along with her child because there was no one to take care of her son.
Nine women released on Wednesday included Mumtaz Liaquat and Asia Liaquat, who are being tried under sections 395/393/34, PPC, and has been in the prison since Jan 16, 2004. Nighat Shabbir is being tried under sections 302/365, PPC, and has been in the prison since July 24, 2004. Shahnaz Tariq is being tried under sections 302/34, PPC, and has been in the prison since June 15, 2006. Rasheda Abul Khair is being tried for Zina under section 10(2) and has been in jail since Nov 12, 2005. Zainab Babar is being tried under sections 420/406/34 and has been in jail since June 13, 2006. Rifat Bashir, Sadaf Younus and Sonia Yunus are being tried under sections 13/14/18 and Zina and they have been in the prison since July 7, 2006.
Thirteen women released on Tuesday included Nasreen Aslam who is being tried under section 16 – 10(2) Zina, and has been in the prison since March 22, 2006. Khalida Nazeer is being tried under sections 16 – 10 (2) Zina and has been in jail since Oct 28, 2002. Saira Shafi and Humaira Rauf are being tried under sections 320/34 and have been in the prison since Jan 26, 2006. Rani Ejaz is being tried under sections 364 A/34, PPC, and has been in the prison since Aug 9, 2005. Rubina Wahid is being tried under sections 342/13/14/18/10 and Zina and has been in the prison since Aug 4, 2005. Mukhtaran Iqbal and Tahira Tariq are being tried under sections 392/397/398/412 and have been in jail since April 14, 2005. Perveen Rashid is being tried under sections 392/34 and has been in the prison since Dec 21, 2005. Zulekha Sultan is being tried under sections 363/366 A/34, PPC, and has been in the prison since Oct 16, 2004. Janzeba Gulfaqir is being tried under sections 302/34 and has been in the prison since Feb 12, 2005. Irshad Siddiq is being tried under section 16 Zina and has been in the jail since Dec 8, 2005. Riffat Sattar is being tired under sections 302/34 and has been in the prison since May 27, 2002.
Six women released on Monday included Saira Rasheed who is being tried under sections 302/34, PPC, and has been in the prison since May 11, 2005. Shamim Sarfaraz is being tried under sections 10 (2), 10 (3) Zina and has been in jail since March 1, 2006. Bilquis Talib is being tried under sections 342/13/14/18 and 10(3) Zina and has been in the prison since Oct 11, 2005. Rabia Zahoor and her mother Perveen Zahoor are being tried under sections 381/109/34, PPC, and have been in the prison since June 24, 2006. Shahida Mehommd is being tried under section 16 Zina and has been in the prison since Jan 3, 2005.
Falak Yaqoob was the lone prisoner who was released on Saturday. She is being tried under sections 380/109/34, PPC, and has been in the prison since July 10, 2006.
Five women released on Friday included Gul-i-Noor Khurrum who is being tried under sections 380/109/34, PPC, and has been in the prison since July 10, 2006. Uzma Saleem and Huma Javed are being tried under sections 18 Zina, 3/4 11, PO, and they have been in the prison since July 10, 2006. Shumaila Umerdin is being tried under sections 302/34 and has been in the prison since Oct 23, 2004, and Naseem Sadabahar is being tried under sections 302/337 and has been in the prison since Aug 22, 2005.
Eleven women prisoners released on July 13 included Hajira Shakoor who is being tried under section 11/10(3) Zina and has been in the prison since Sept 7, 2005. Rani Akram is being tried under sections 13/14/18 Zina and has been in the prison since July 14, 2003. Hayatan Sabir is being tried under sections 454/457/381/34 and has been in the prison since May 24, 2006. Naziran Nawaz is being tried under section 10 (2) Zina and has been in prison since Oct 11, 2004, Shabana Hashim is being tried under sections 302/34 PPC and has been in the prison since Dec 21, 2005, Shakela Saeed is being tried under section 435, PPC, and has been in the prison since Oct 21, 2005, and Amna Azam is being tried under section 10 (2) Zina and has been in the prison since July 13, 2002. Kaneez Nadeem is being tried under sections 420/489 F/171 and has been in the prison since June 29, 2006, Samina Khaleeq is being tried under section 10 (2)/16 Zina and has been in the prison since Sept 18, 2003, and Komal Fahim is being tried under sections 451/337 A (1)354 and has been in the prison since June 28, 2005.
Talking to Dawn, Special Prison for Women superintendent Sheeba Shah said 79 women prisoners, one of them a foreigner, qualified to get benefit from the amendment to the law and 46 had been released. Bail applications of the rest of them were pending before courts.
