LAHORE, Aug 29: Punjab Jails Minister Saeed Akbar Khan has said that the capacity of prisons in the province has increased by 3,000 people following the construction of 21 new barracks and 320 death cells and would further surge by 15,000 after the completion of 15 new jails.

Presiding over a meeting held here on Tuesday to review the progress of expansion here on Tuesday, the minister said the total capacity of jails in the province would exceed 35,000 after the completion of new jails.

He said Rs671 million had been spent on construction of new jails and expansion of existing ones during the past three years and Rs464 million had been allocated for the purpose during the current financial year.

He said two jails were being built exclusively for women at Faisalabad and Rawalpindi.

He said not only makatab schools had been started in jails for the reformation of prisoners but they were also being provided vocational training. The prisoners were not only being given training in traditional vocations, but over a dozen new courses had been started in collaboration with the Allama Iqbal Open University and Punjab Vocational Training Council. Over 500 prisoners were receiving training as clinical assistants, computer operators, radio, television, electrical and home appliances, diesel engine mechanics and tailors. Women prisoners were being trained as tailors and beauticians.