July 30, 2008	Wednesday	Rajab 26, 1429

HARIPUR, July 29: The Awami National Party-led provincial government was taking practical steps to introduce reforms in jails and make the inmates civilised and useful citizens for the society, said NWFP Minister for Jails Mian Nisar Gul Kakakhel here on Tuesday.

He was talking to journalists during his visit to Haripur jail. The minister said that government and jail departments were supposed to address the problems of prisoners and make them good and responsible citizens.

For coping with the problem of overcrowding in jails, he said the government had approved construction of eight new jails in the province. Besides this, he said, NWFP governor had agreed to get more funding from the federal government for construction of two new barracks in Peshawar jail.

To a question, he said that soon after his taking over as minister he formed a jail reforms committee comprising NGOs, health, education and jail department that was being headed by inspector general prisons. The committed, he said, discussed the problems and facilities of jails and presented recommendations for their solution.

At least 500 new posts were created in the department to teach prisoners under Education for All programme, he said, adding that the process of recruitment would be completed next month.

He said that remissions in sentence of prisoners would also be given under the law while the inmates who were unable to pay their fine were being released on the directives of prime minister as per announced criteria.

He said that the provincial government also planned to hold a donors conference in Peshawar shortly. The conference, he claimed, would help both the donors and the jail department to utilise their resources for addressing the genuine problems of prisoners. Mr Gul said that there were a number of donors and philanthropists who wanted to spend for the welfare of prisoners.

He would also think over construction of two separate jails for the prisoners of Fata areas the prisoners from tribal areas were not the responsibility of provincial government, the minister added.

The minister also took round of different barracks of jail where he listened to the problems of prisoners. He also visited the school of Human Development Organisation (HDO) in the women section of the jail and appreciated the efforts of its staff.

He announced a two months remission in the jail sentence of prisoners of Haripur jail and ordered the jail authorities for issuance of release orders of two women prisoners who were serving jail term due to non-payment of fine.