RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government will build soundproof underground shooting ranges in four major jails, including the Central Jail Adiala, to train the security staff of the prisons in weapon handling.

Besides Rawalpindi, the central jails of Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad will have these facilities which would be established in the current year.

The underground soundproof shooting ranges to be built on the premises of the four central jails have been designed by army experts.

Deputy Inspector General of Prisons, Rawalpindi region, Mirza Shahid Saleem Baig told Dawn that the jail security staff had been facing problems in carrying out firing practice as it was a security risk and difficult to take hundreds of security personnel to other cities for the practice.

Every security personnel deployed in jails needed the shooting practice but due to the unavailability of a firing range a large number of the personnel could not be trained in weapon handing.

The DIG said after the construction of the underground firing ranges the jail security staff would be able to have firing and weapon handling practices.

“The underground firing ranges will be soundproof as sound barriers will be installed inside in addition to the CCTV cameras.”

Jail security staff will be trained in weapon handling in the shooting ranges

Meanwhile, an official told Dawn that 54 family rooms were near completion in the Adiala jail for the long-term convicted prisoners to keep their families with them for three days.

Those sentenced to life imprisonment and other long-term inmates will be able to keep their wives with them for three days once in three months.

The by-laws in this regard are being prepared and scanning of the prisoners has started, he added.

The use of the family rooms will be free of cost but subject to the prisoners and their family members’ security clearance by the police, jail authorities and the district administration to avert any misuse of the facility.

Saeedullah Gondal, the superintendent of the Adiala jail, told Dawn that the family rooms were near completion and by-laws for the inmates who would be allowed to use the facility were being prepared.

The superintendent also said 28 houses for the jail officials and barracks for 120 staff members would be built in the jail colony in 2017.

He said steps had been taken to ensure foolproof security in the crowded prison as the security staff was imparted training by the army experts and police commandos. Three senior officials and 27 junior officials were dismissed from service for violating the jail by-laws while 247 other officials were awarded different punishments on various charges last year.

“Of the total number of cases registered against the jail staff, two or three related to drug-related charges and mobile phone smuggling into the jail,” the superintendent said, adding the remaining cases were minor such as negligence during the duty hours.

He said three filtration plants had been installed in the jail to provide clean drinking water to the inmates. A drug rehabilitation centre was also set up for the addicts.

Besides, four male and three female foreigner prisoners were sent back to their respective countries after arranging their travel expenditures with the permission of the government last year.

The official said 10 convicted prisoners were hanged while 52 condemned prisoners were released after being acquitted.

Two other condemned prisoners were released after a patch-up between their families while the death sentences of 66 prisoners were converted into life imprisonment.

He said 19 prisoners were released on parole, 135 set free after philanthropists paid their fines and 253 prisoners were released after being acquitted.

As many as 1,053 prisoners were released after completing their sentences. One woman prisoner was released after a philanthropist paid Rs300,000 for her.

Published in Dawn January 3rd, 2017