Overview

The Committee for the Welfare of Prisoners (CWP) is a government-funded, privately managed non-profit organization working to protect the rights and welfare of prisoners across Sindh. Established in 2004 as a pilot initiative at the Women’s Prison, Karachi, under the chairpersonship of Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid, the Committee began by providing legal aid and rehabilitation support to women and juvenile prisoners.

Over the years, CWP’s scope expanded to include male prison facilities across Sindh, transforming into a model public–private partnership for prison reform. With the continued support of the Home Department, Government of Sindh, CWP now operates in 24 prisons across Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Dadu, Khairpur, Sanghar, and Shaheed Benazirabad.

CWP’s work focuses on providing free legal aid, legal awareness, and welfare assistance to underprivileged and under-trial prisoners, many of whom are first-time offenders. The Committee also supports juvenile inmates, women prisoners, and children living with their mothers in prison, offering education, health, and rehabilitation support to improve their reintegration prospects.

As a unique public–private model, CWP contributes to Sindh’s criminal justice system by promoting speedy trials, fair representation, and humane prison management, reducing the burden on an already overcrowded system.

The Committee operates under the Government of Sindh and was notified under Section 55 of the Sindh Prisons and Corrections Services Act, 2019. Its members include senior government officials, legal experts, and civil society representatives: