FAISALABAD, Nov 18: The home department has moved the Punjab chief secretary to suspend from service Rawalpindi DIG Prisons Mian Salik Jalal, who was found guilty of negligence in the last year’s jailbreak while serving as the Faisalabad central jail superintendent.

Two condemned prisoners escaped from the Faisalabad prison owing to the negligence of the jail officials.

Mian Salik Jalal, who is a close relative of a well-placed government officer, together with 16 other jail officials, was found guilty of acts of omission and commission by an inquiry committee, headed by Chaudhry Muhammad Afzal (who is currently serving as DIG prisons of southern zone).

The inquiry officers had recommended suspension from service of the 17 jail officials, including the then superintendent, besides initiating proceedings for removal from service following the escape of Sabir Husain and Muhammad Ishtiaq, who were sentenced to 25-year rigorous imprisonment, on the night between Dec 24 and 25, 2004.

The two inmates, according to reports, scaled over the main wall from the barrack No 3 (room No 4).

All the guilty officials, except Mian Salik, were suspended from service on Dec 25, 2004, while a reference was made to the home department for the suspension of Mian Salik. However, to everyone’s surprise, Mian Salik was promoted to the rank of DIG and posted in Rawalpindi zone (a post he is still working against).

Later on Aug 23, 2005, another inquiry committee, comprising DIG Headquarters Abdul Sattar and Deputy Secretary (army) Maj Sikandar Zulqernain, held Mian Salik guilty of breach of duty and recommended his suspension and proceedings under the Punjab Removal from Service (Special Powers) Ordinance of 2000.

Subsequently, the home department moved the chief secretary for the suspension of DIG prisons.