Sindh Mental Authority

To carry justice, by the ones charged to impart that, is a pretty tedious and complex. Often it is not possible to peep into mental state of an offender at the time of committing a crime or default, which information may be badly needed also due to varying penalties subsisting for the crime into varying moods. In the cases of offenders suffering with a mental health problem, it may not be an axiom delivered.

I propose that Honourable Chief Justice of Sindh High Court may, in collaboration with the Sindh Mental Authority, facilitate and seek flow of meaningful information on mental health to the judges delivering verdicts, particularly in the area of criminal offences. Before getting into writing a judgment unfolding the mental state of an offender, at the time of commissioning the crime, is an important input. It is the field of scientific classifications into possible mental state of affairs of a human being, in relation to which law provides different penalties or remedies.

It is normally not easy to give a fault line beginning, when the accused was in his complete senses. To enable due dispensation of justice, education in mental health may be relied upon by Sindh High Court Bar also. To cater improved knowledge and due perception issues, people with vagaries of mental health do not appear to have been given due attention by the concerned quarters to improve mental fitness.

This sort of exercises is (currently) not on deep in the judicial system. However, we should appreciate that there always exists a FIRST. There can be no justice in the wake of an accused, being in the schizophrenia state, given a normal treat.

The Institute of Behavioural Sciences as also psychiatrists in their individual capacity should be passing more information to the society on the plight of people with psychological turmoil. Realization as such and resolve of the society to comfort the ones undergoing such suffering will go to improved social working and relationship. Thus, the newly formed Sindh Mental Authority should be a big help to the judiciary and social circles, besides its usefulness to treat the patients with mental disorders.

KARACHI QAISAR MUFTI