Qaumi Akhbar Newspaper Report about Nilofer Shahnawaz, by Zar Nageen, Published on 5th September, 1998.
A report was published about Nilofer Shahnawaz, the then Juvenile Judge and Judicial Magistrate, on 5th September, 1998, in an Urdu newspaper Qaumi Akhbar.
TRANSLATION
BY
MARIUM
FATIMA
“JUVENILE JAIL—CORRECTIONAL HOME FOR THE LOST YOUTH.”
“In the Wadah Ghar (Promise Home) established within the Juvenile
Jail, young inmates are sensitized regarding the harmful effects of narcotics
and the social devastation caused by drug abuse.” — Nilofar Shahnawaz
“The boys present at the Wada Ghar complained about the courts,
stating that excessively long adjournments are given and no consideration is
shown towards the passage of time and their wasted youth.”
“Assistant Superintendent Juvenile Jail, Gul Muhammad Sheikh, stated that, children arriving here are often
victims of frustration and adverse domestic circumstances — Report from
the visit of the representative of the Qaumi Akhbar newspaper.”
Karachi (Report/Zar Nageen) — It has consistently been the endeavour of the Qaumi Akhbar newspaper to
not only highlight social ills but also uncover the underlying factors
contributing to their spread. In relation to the increasing rate of juvenile
crime, a visit was conducted to the Juvenile Jail in recent days.
During this visit, the most notable aspect
observed was the “Wadah Ghar” (Promise Home) established under the
supervision of Juvenile Magistrate Mrs. Nilofar Shahnawaz, which
focuses on the rehabilitation of drug-addicted youth. Here, young individuals
are educated about the harmful effects of narcotics and the social destruction
caused by drug abuse. In addition, medical treatment is provided to
drug-dependent inmates, while they are kept engaged in various constructive
activities to prevent relapse into addiction. It is important to note that
these welfare and rehabilitative initiatives within the Juvenile Jail are not supported
by any other organization, rather, they are facilitated through the personal, moral
and financial support of the Magistrate, her husband ADJ Malir Mr. Shahnawaz
Tariq, and their associates, friends and companions. Various vocational and
developmental facilities have also been established, including a hospital,
computer centre, technical training centre, embroidery and carpet-making units,
and a hairdressing centre, where training is provided in accordance with the
inmates’ interests and aptitude.
Furthermore, a secondary school
has been established within the premises, where, in order to protect the
dignity of students, completing their education is maintained by ensuring that
certificates issued do not carry any mention of their incarceration.
Several inmates possess
exceptional abilities, including a second-year student, Zahid Hussain, who
secured first position in the course of Adeeb Urdu. The jail walls are adorned
with his and other inmates’ beautiful paintings, reflecting their creative
potential. The inmates of the Wada Ghar stated that when they arrived,
they were addicted to various forms of narcotics. According to them, in the
initial stages of addiction, substances were easily accessible around the City
Court premises through tea vendors, juice sellers, and paan shops at inflated
rates of Rs.110/- for a small packet of heroin during court appearances, which
was normally available for Rs.25/- outside.
In response to a question, they
further stated that they had resorted to swallowing plastic shoppers before
entering lock-ups, from where they would later take them out after vomiting,
and if the police sepoy is paid some amount then they were not checked.
A hospitalized inmate at the
Juvenile Hospital stated that, he is a matriculation student and currently
works as a mechanic. According to him, police had come to arrest the shop
owner, but after the owner fled, he was taken into custody instead. He further said
that he was detained at Tipu Sultan Police Station for three days, subjected to
torture, and that a demand of thirty thousand rupees was made, which his poor
family could not afford.
He further stated that on the
third day, when a court raid was conducted, nineteen fake cases were registered against
him, after which his bail was secured by the Juvenile Magistrate. He added that
when he appeared for a court hearing later, individuals attempted to re-arrest
him, prompting him to escape by jumping over a wall, resulting in a broken leg.
He expressed fear of leaving the Juvenile Jail, stating that he may be
re-arrested.
The inmates of the Wadah Ghar,
while explaining their ordeals, stated that judges repeatedly grant
long adjournments, showing little regard for the passage of time and their
wasted youth. They described themselves as having fallen into a “dead end” due
to a single mistake and appealed through the Qaumi Akhbar newspaper for
judicial compassion and reconsideration.
Assistant Superintendent Gul Muhammad Sheikh stated that most children who end up in jail are
frustrated and face difficult domestic conditions. He noted that parents,
constrained by limited financial resources, and for having too many children,
are often unable to provide adequate attention to their children, which
contributes to their drift towards criminal activity.
From the collective accounts, a
broader perception emerges that crime is often rooted in expectations and
attachments formed between individuals, and when such expectations remain
unfulfilled, they lead to disappointment and despair, and then that individual
seeks external support for comfort like heroin, cigarette, wrong company which
in turn destroys him.
It is therefore suggested that emotional attachment should be directed towards internal and spiritual dimensions. The soul’s direct connection is with the Almighty, and this constitutes the true philosophy of life, wherein lies the ultimate survival and well-being of human existence.
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