LAHORE: Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan has announced that the provincial government would be upgrading the province’s jails by increasing the capacity with new double storey barracks and utility stores in addition to introducing massive reforms in Punjab Jails’ system.
While chairing a high level meeting here on Saturday, the minister explained that the utility stores will be set up instead of canteen contracting system where prisoners will be able to get cheap items at control rates to ensure convenience and savings.
Law Minister Raja Muhammad Basharat, Additional Chief Secretary Home Momin Ali Agha, inspector general (IG) prisons, secretaries of various departments and representatives of the legal community participated in the meeting held at the Chief Minister (CM) House.
The minister also directed to the authorities concerned to renovate bathrooms and the area where clothes are washed by using welfare funds allocated to jails for the betterment of employees. “All inmates should get basic facilities like shampoo, razor and soap,” he added.
He said that unfortunately, the jails in Punjab are still working under the 1894 Act while there is a lot of work to be done on legal aspects and internal reforms. “However, practical work on these matters has now been started,” he said.
Observing that the outside world’s perception of jails is very entirely opposite to what the environment inside is, he directed the home, law and jail departments to jointly work out recommendations for reforms and work in a coordinated manner, keeping in view the international standards.
“Civil society and legal experts should also be consulted in this regard. We have to use all available resources for improving the lives of inmates,” he added.
The minister also announced to bring the salaries of jail employees at par with Police Department.
During the meeting, Law Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja said that the draft of Jail Act, 2020, in which the welfare of women prisoners has also been given special priority, is in the final stage of preparation.
The meeting was also briefed by various participants on the Justice System Support Programme in which many recommendations have been prepared collectively. In this regard, it was decided to hold a meeting to accord approval to initiate practical work for reforms in all province’s jails.
It was agreed that the welfare work done by Abdul Aleem Khan Foundation in Kot Lakhpat Jail should be declared as a model for the rest.
