LAHORE : Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has given in-principle acceptance to recruit 4662 watch and ward officials of the prisons department and announced to provide 22 ambulances for sick prisoners’ reposition from jails’ hospitals to other infirmaries in the first phase while 21 ambulances would be given next year.
While chairing a meeting to review the pace of jail reforms which was also attended by Minister for Prisons Fayyaz-ul-Hasan Chohan, ACS (Home), IG prisons and others, the CM announced to establish Punjab Prison Staff Training College in Sahiwal along with the construction of additional barracks in ten different jails. He directed to establish more PCOs to help prisoners to contact their families and added that juvenile offenders and impecunious prisoners would be provided with this facility free of cost. Meanwhile, the Akhuwat would provide loans to officials of the prisons department for building houses.
While directing to accelerate solarization of jails, the CM emphasised ensuring availability of quality items at jails canteens at DC rates and made it clear that jail superintendent would be prosecuted over complaints of overcharging or substandard items. Alongside, the CM informed that lawyers’ facilitation centres would be set up in 42 jails and directed that TVs, geysers, water coolers and fans should be functionalised and recruitment of doctors and paramedics be completed without delay.
The prisons dept minister apprised that payments were being given to prisoners engaged in sewing tracksuits and footballs.
