It has become a common practice in the country that whenever a heinous crime or any terror incident occurs, the law enforcement agencies swing into action and claim that security has been put on high alert to counter such incidents. But soon it becomes business as usual for the law enforcers until there is another such incident.

Though there have been many cases of prisoners’ escape, mostly when the under-trials are taken out for their production before the courts of law, a well-planned terrorist attack on a prison, especially one housing prisoners involved in high-profile cases, is a serious security lapse. This was the case in Bannu where hundreds of armed militants attacked the jail and got their comrades and hundreds of other prisoners free. It was the second major security lapse in the country after the US marines attack in Abbottabad, putting a big question mark on the performance of the security and law enforcement agencies that consume a big chunk of the taxpayers’ money.

It has also been observed that after every high-profile incident, a news item appears in the media that there had been intelligence about the terror attack and the authorities concerned had been informed about it. So the question arises: why preemptive measures are not taken to foil such attacks like the one in Bannu.

After the Bannu jailbreak, security for all prisons in the country is being reviewed. Though deployment of Rangers, elite force personnel, extra police and several other measures have been taken for the Central Jail Adiala, officials say there is still much to be done.

Adiala Jail Superintendent Malik Mushtaq told Dawn that he had requested the home department to exempt the crowded prison from power loadshedding as it could be a security risk in the current situation. Adiala Jail has no alternative arrangements in case its power supply system collapses or is severed by terrorists.

When asked whether he was satisfied with the new security measures, the official said: “Though security level is being enhanced, there is always a need for doing more.”

A recent survey conducted by the intelligence wing of the Punjab police and visits by senior police officers to the jail showed that the low height of the compound walls in the rear of the building and nearby residential buildings could be vulnerable to terrorist attacks. “I am deeply concerned about the power supply system of the jail as there are no alternative arrangements in case the transmission lines are damaged,” said the superintendent of police Saddar circle, Waheedur Rehman Khattak. He said the height of the wall needed to be raised as according to the jail rules security personnel with heavy weapons cannot be deployed inside the premises.

In June 2010, a major security lapse was witnessed in the jail when two under-trial prisoners - Shahzad Mehmmod and Khizar Mehmood - were spotted carrying loaded pistols and heading towards the ‘security ward’, where their rivals were kept. Later, it emerged that one of the jail staff members was involved in smuggling of the arms into the jail.

Commenting on the Bannu jailbreak, another senior police officer expressed surprise that none of the security personnel and jail staff even tried to fire a single bullet at the attackers.

Security officials said in order to make the escape of prisoners impossible, there was a need to adopt highest level of security and make the jail staff vigilant.

Prison staff can change the security strategy if they receive any intelligence that some prisoners have become dangerous and might try to escape or create any problem. In such a situation, the prisoners can be shifted to more secure prison in any part of the country.

For this purpose, a proper surveillance system should be installed in prisons to monitor the movement of prisoners on the premises and that of other people outside. There is also needs to improve security to check smuggling of contraband, including narcotics or weapons, to the inmates.

Rawalpindi police authorities said they had informed the inspector general of prisons Punjab about all the security measures taken to avert any untoward situation.

However, they would not be responsible for the security of the prison as it was the job of the jail staff.

Police experts believe that there is a dire need for launching a capacity building programme for the law enforcement personnel to encourage them to counter attacks on prisons and other installations.