May 03, 2008	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 26, 1429

PESHAWAR, May 2: The NWFP government has approved 25 news posts in the probation and reclamation department, which has been a longstanding demand of human rights organisations.

It is learnt that the 25 posts include three male and two female probation officers, 10 junior clerks and 10 other low-ranking staffers.

Official sources said the provincial finance department had approved the posts a few days ago and the posts would become operational from next financial year.

At present, the probation department is facing multiple problems across the province due to shortage of staff and non-availability of resources.

The probation department is presently functioning with 13 probation and two parole officers. There is no female probation officer in the province, which has created legal complications because under the rules a female prisoner cannot be given in supervision of male officers.

It is learnt that 12 of the 24 districts of the NWFP are without probation officers and officers deputed in other nearby districts have to look after these areas. These districts are Hangu, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Haripur, Nowshera, Tank, Kohistan, Battagram, Shangla, Buner, Upper Dir and Chitral.

Probation department director Moalim Jan told Dawn that despite facing problems they had been trying to activate the department. He added that they had put forward various proposals to the government for improving performance of the department.

He maintained that if the shortage of staff was overcome they would be able to look after more prisoners released on probation and it would also help in reducing burden on different prisons.

It is learnt that till last month there were around 1,407 prisoners under supervision of the probation department after they were released by different courts on probation. These prisoners included 20 women and contrary to the rules male probation officers have to look after them because of non-availability of female officers.

The sources said the probation department had requested the government for creating 105 new posts in three phases. The department, he said, had requested for new posts of 13 male and seven female probation officers.

Human rights organisations, especially those working for child and women’s rights, including the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child and the Aurat Foundation, have been campaigning for many years for the appointment of women probation officers in the department.

The department assumed importance during the recent years, especially after promulgation of the Juvenile Justice System Ordinance in 2000. Under the law, it is binding on police to forthwith contact the concerned probation officer after arrest of a juvenile offender.