LAHORE: Around 77 prisoners, who were languishing in provincial jails owing to non-payment of Diyat, fines and other compensations, were released after a longstanding amount of Rs55 million was paid during a ceremony at the Kot Lakhpat Central Jail on Tuesday.

The Punjab government paid Rs40 million, Bahria Foundation Rs10m and other charity organisations the remaining amount under heads of Diyat, Daman, Arsh, fines and other compensations in exchange for prisoners’ release. Qarshi Foundation, which contributed to the release amount, also gave Rs10,000 per prisoner separately besides gift hampers.

PML-N MNA Hamza Shahbaz, Provincial Minister for Prisons Abdul Waheed Arain, Prisons Inspector General Mian Farooq Nazeer and MNAs and MPAs attended the ceremony.

Hamza distributed Easter gifts among Christian prisoners and later inaugurated an X-ray plant worth Rs6m at the jail. He also laid the foundation stone for a PCO worth Rs2.8m, paid for by the Prisons Foundation, for the inmates.

Speaking on the occasion, the MNA said water filtration plants would be installed in all jails across the province and prisoners provided basic and recreational facilities, including a sports complex. He said arrangements were being made for training and monitoring of jail warders to improve their attitude towards prisoners.

Hamza, who is also chairman of the Taskforce on Prison Reforms, said he had been imprisoned himself so he was aware of the problems of prisoners and was committed to resolving them. He said sheds had been constructed for prisoners’ visitors and residences provided to doctors inside jails. He said dozens of projects for welfare of prisoners, including Rs30 increase in the daily amount for food.

IG Nazeer claimed 90pc of the work on a comprehensive programme for welfare of both jail staff and prisoners prepared in the light of recommendations of the Chief Minister’s Taskforce on Jail Reforms in December 2008 had been completed.

He added prominent steps included improvement in food quality, improved cleanliness and healthcare, water filtration plants, establishment of PCOs, martyrs package and establishment of a Prisons Foundation. Besides, 12 new jails were under construction over Rs9 billion.

The IG said staff training, purchase of latest weapons and acquirement of new technology were also undertaken in the wake of the recent wave of terrorism. Earlier, talking to journalists, Hamza said options, including dialogue, with Taliban were open for maintenance of peace. He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was striving hard to make the country a haven of peace.

He claimed the dialogue process with Taliban was transparent but results expected from the talks were not in sight. He further said no party could achieve this alone so the prime minister had taken Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan into confidence. He said the 20-year war could not be ended overnight.

Hamza stated the country’s economy was improving and “those claiming to resign on devaluation of dollar were now hiding their faces”.