RAWALPINDI: The two-member committee of the prison department probing into the release of photographs of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Hanif Abbasi and others in the office of the Adiala jail superintendent has completed its report.

The committee, comprising Deputy Inspector General of Prisons Multan region Malik Shaukat and Additional Inspector General Judicial Malik Safdar, was constituted by Inspector General of Prisons Shahid Saleem Baig on Thursday.

The committee is expected to submit its report to the IG prisons on Monday, sources said.

Two-member body completes probe into prison photo controversy

However, all the individuals seen in the pictures denied that they were carrying any camera or had taken pictures inside the jail, the sources said.

They said the inquiry team had recorded the statements of Jail Superintendent Saeedullah Gondal, his deputy and wardens who were on duty and had carried out security check and search of the visitors coming to the prison to receive Mr Sharif on his release on Wednesday night.

The committee was tasked to fix responsibility as to why former PML-N MNA Hanif Abbasi, who has been imprisoned for life in the ephedrine smuggling case, was allowed to sit in the office of the jail superintendent along with Mr Sharif and others.

The committee was also tasked to find out how a camera was taken into the office of the jail superintendent.

According to the sources, PML-N leader Murtaza Javaid Abbasi was reportedly carrying the camera which was used for taking the photographs in the presence of the deputy inspector general of prisons in the office of the superintendent.

However, Mr Abbasi denied that he was carrying any camera/mobile phone or had taken any photographs. The other individuals shown in the pictures also denied that they had any mobile phone/camera while sitting in the office of the superintendent.

Soon after the committee started its investigation, Mr Abbasi was shifted to the Attock jail early on Saturday morning.

Two pictures showed Mr Sharif, his brother Shahbaz Sharif, former adviser to the prime minister on aviation Sardar Mehtab Khan and Raheel Munir sitting in the office of the superintendent jail.

In the second picture, Hanif Abbasi was shown sitting in between Mr Sharif and former MNA Malik Ibrar along with Murtaza Javaid Abbasi.

DIG Prisons Rawalpindi region Naveed Rauf could also be seen sitting on the chair of the jail superintendent and talking to Mr Sharif and others.

After spending over 60 days in the prison, the former prime minister, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar were released on Wednesday night on the direction of the Islamabad High Court.

After the pictures were leaked, the jail administration has tightened checking of visitors to the premises.

A senior government official told Dawn that if any negligence on part of any official of the prison department was found in the inquiry report, departmental action would be initiated against them.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2018