LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has approved recruitment of 4,662 watch and ward officials for the prisons department.

He also announced provision of 22 ambulances for sick prisoners’ movement from jail hospitals to other infirmaries in the first phase this year while 21 more ambulances would be given next year.

Chairing a meeting to review the pace of jail reforms on Thursday, Buzdar announced establishment of the Punjab Prison Staff Training College in Sahiwal along with the construction of additional barracks in 10 jails of the province. He issued directions for establishing more PCOs to help prisoners contact their families and provision of free call facility to the juvenile and impecunious prisoners.

The CM emphasised ensuring availability of quality items at jails canteens at the controlled rates and made it clear that the jail superintendent would face action in case of complaints against overcharging or substandard items.

Saying that lawyers’ facilitation centres would be set up in 42 jails, he said TVs, geysers, water coolers and fans should be made functional while recruitment of doctors and paramedics should be completed without delay.

The ACS (Home), IG prisons and others attended the meeting.

In a meeting, CM Buzdar also directed the officials concerned to develop tourist spots in collaboration with the private sector, saying the government had a plan to develop attractions in far-flung areas to promote tourism. He sought restoration of an old yacht at Kot Mithan for the sightseers.

The chief minister said the development budget of the tourism department had been increased from Rs730m to Rs2bn and added that tourist spots would also be established at Head Taunsa and Kalagagh along with the start of desert sports in Thal, Bhakkar and Fort Abbas.

SACM Hasaan Khawar, secretary tourism and others attended the meeting.

Speaking to party MNAs and MPAs at Chief Minister’s Office, the CM said the opposition’s no-trust move held no weight as it had not got a majority. He said the defeat for the opposition was the writing on the wall because it was doing politics of anarchy, causing discomfort among the masses.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2022