KARACHI: Seven jails in Sindh to have more barracks
KARACHI, Nov 2: Besides convicting criminals, there should be rules to make them useful citizens so that they could spend life as a patriotic and good citizens after completing their sentence period, said Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister on Home Affairs Waseem Akhtar here on Thursday during his visit to Central Jail, Karachi.
He reviewed arrangement in different barracks and issued directives on the spot. He ordered the prison administration to pay special attention to provision of education, hygienic meal as per jail manual and emphasized on better cleanliness, especially in the jail kitchen.
Talking with newsmen, he said all possible facilities were being provided to inmates and there were complete arrangements for their religious and contemporary education in prisons.
However, there are some problems owing to overcrowding in prisons, he said, and more barracks and new prison buildings are being constructed to cope with the issue. He said NGOs are also extending their full support in this regard”.
The advisor informed that currently additional barracks were being built in seven prisons of the province and added that effective measures were being taken to keep dangerous outlaws away from common prisoners while a separate cell was being established in Malir District Jail for them.
He further said about 250 dangerous prisoners were present in Karachi. He said that a juvenile prison was being constructed at Thatta and another would be set up in Sukkur in future.Mr Akhtar noted 153 more vehicles would be given to all prisons of Sindh which would be used to bring the under trial prisoners before the court on time to expedite their cases.
He stated that the government had earmarked Rs 0.5 million for female inmates who could not pay their fines after completion of conviction period. Quoting example of Bangladeshi prisoners, he said that air-tickets would be arranged for those who could not buy tickets with the help of philanthropists to ensure their early return to their countries.
He apprised as many as 521 posts were lying vacant in Sindh prisons, which would be filled in soon.
He said jail industry, which had been closed, was revived again so that prisoners could step out as skilful person and lead an honourable life.
Earlier, Superintendent Jail Nusrat Hussain informed the advisor that presently 500 prisoners were being imparted with religious education while there was a capacity of 1000 prisoners. He further said prisoners were given half-yearly short course in Technical Training Centre. He said 25 inmates were being trained right now while more than 100 prisoners were being given hardware and software education through 25 computers.
The advisor was informed that 30,000 breads are cooked daily for jail inmates. He was also told new barracks were being constructed to accommodate up to 200 prisoners. Waseem Akhtar directed that proper bathrooms be built in the new barracks.
Jail Superintendent informed that 131 prisoners had been waiting to be executed for four years. About 35 in-house patients in Jail Hospital had been suffering from respiratory problems and some minor diseases while hospital has the capacity for 47 patients. The advisor was informed that patients were also shifted form prisons from Interior Sindh to Karachi Central Jail.
Waseem Akhtar directed that fumigation spray be conducted in prison in collaboration with town administration to prevent dengue fever. He was informed there was a capacity of 34 visitors in jail simultaneously to meet prisoners and about 200 visitors used to meet prisoners daily.
IGP Prisons Yameen Khan, DIG Prisons Col. Tariq Shah and other officials were also present.—PPI
