The colonial-era prison in Karachi is decorated with murals depicting rural life in Pakistan, works by prisoners who learned to paint behind bars.
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Thanks to a reintegration program through drawing or music, convicted murderers or kidnappers have been able to sell their works at exhibitions for several thousand dollars, prison officials said.
“Before I went to prison, it was a different life, completely immature and without responsibility,” Mohammad Ijaz, from the prison workshop, told AFP.
“But since then I have understood the meaning of life. They taught us that existence is full of colors and that the colors speak for themselves.
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Mr. Ijaz, who refuses to say what crime landed him in prison, has served half of his 25-year sentence.
Despite his isolation, he earned large sums of money from his paintings of horses, which enabled him to finance his mother's pilgrimage to Mecca and his sister's wedding.
“My family didn’t want to believe me at first when I said I had become an artist,” says the 42-year-old prisoner, who now teaches fellow inmates how to paint. “When they saw our pictures in the exhibition, they were happy.”
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This artistic program was launched in Karachi Central Prison in 2007 and is aimed at long-term prisoners and death row inmates.
Prisoners can also learn foreign languages such as Arabic, English or Chinese, as well as embroidery or other sewing work.
“If you push them toward constructive goals, they become more sociable,” Ammad Chandio, one of the prison officials, told AFP. “It allows them to reflect on their past, the crime or offense they committed.”
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“Property of prisoners”
“Any work created in prison is the property of the inmates, as is any income that may be derived from it,” he added.
Prisons in Pakistan are generally overcrowded and have very limited access to water, food and sanitation. But central prisons generally have resources.
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“We must prioritize efforts to rehabilitate prisoners. The purpose of sentencing is to help them become better citizens,” says Sarah Belal, executive director of Justice Project Pakistan.
Mehtab Zakir is imprisoned after being convicted of murder five years ago, but his family still depends on him financially.
“I know I didn’t waste any time here. “We learned something,” said the 34-year-old inmate. “It makes me happy to finish a painting, it shows me that at least I know how to do something.”