MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas has paid a surprise visit to the Central Jail of Muzaffarabad and gave several directions to the authorities concerned to provide facilities to the inmates not only in accordance with the jail manual but also on humanitarian grounds.

On his way back from Islamabad, the prime minister who was at the wheel of his private jeep suddenly decided to divert towards the prison, located off the main Muzaffarabad-Kohala highway in Rara village, some five kilometres from here.

After receiving a briefing from the bewildered jail authorities, the prime minister inspected different barracks where he shook hands with most of the prisoners and inquired about their well-being as well as the problems facing them during their time of incarceration.

One prisoner told him that he had served his six months jail term on charges of vagrancy, but was still in the lockup for being unable to pay Rs10,000 in fine. On this the premier paid his fine from his pocket and advised him to live his life as a law-abiding citizen.

He directed the jail authorities to provide clean drinking water to prisoners, warm water for ablutions and quality meals.

“The prisons should not be a nursery of crimes but a centre of reformation. Prisoners should utilise their time in learning some or the other skill so that once they are out they can support their families and play a positive role in the society,” he said on the occasion.

PM Ilyas was of the view that lodging inmates of two categories – those convicted of serious crimes and those convicted of minor and less serious crimes - at the same place was bound to cause problems, and therefore the jail authorities should segregate inmates in keeping with the nature of their crimes.

Special attention should be given to the training of the prisoners charged with minor crimes as well as women and juvenile offenders, he added.

PM Ilyas also sought information from the inmates, including the undertrial prisoners, regarding their pending cases in courts and directed jail administration to also maintain complete record in this regard.

He also directed them to compile records of all visitors as well by installing a biometric system.

The prime minister appreciated a prisoner who told him that he had completed 18 chapters of Holy Quran in the prison.

He observed that while convictions were something between the courts and the accused persons, the government was only trying to ensure basic rights that a state was obliged to grant to its citizens.

AJK govt prioritises physical recreation through sports: Ilyas

While talking to a 12-member contingent of athletes from the AJK Winter Sports Association (WSA) the Azad Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas has vowed to ensure vast sports opportunities in the state to dig up the talent of youth in different competitive games.

“I fully realize the importance of physical recreation through different sporting events and that’s why we are paying special attention to construction of modern sports infrastructure in all cities and towns which can host both traditional and modern games,” he said.

Two AJK WSA teams of boys and girls, comprising six members each, had participated in the recently held National Ice Sports Championships in Naltar Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan and won gold medals in the curling event.

Felicitating the teams for their commendable performance, the prime minister announced a cash reward of Rs50,000 for each athlete, apart from Rs100,000 for their coach.

AJK WSA Secretary General Raja Aqeel Khurshid was also present on the occasion.

The AJK premier said there was no dearth of talent in AJK, but what was required was official patronage and encouragement through provision of the requisite facilities.

“Sporting events are not only a great source of recreation for local people, but also draw hundreds of people from outside and thus contribute to promotion of tourism in the state,” the premier said.

AJK WSA Secretary General Khurshid told the prime minister that AJK had been blessed with exceptional natural slopes and locations where winter sports facilities could be developed with the help of the government.

He also informed the premier about the challenges and issues in this regard, and urged him to support regular and smooth holding of winter sports activities in AJK.

Mr Khurshid said provision of facilities for skiing, skating and ice hockey rinks at 9,990 feet high Ganga Choti in district Bagh, 8,379 feet high Arang Kel in Neelum Valley, 9,500 feet high Pir Chinasi in Muzaffarabad and 8,800 feet high Toli Peer in Poonch were need of the time.Similarly, he said installation of a chairlift in Ganga Choti and Pir Chinasi could further boost the importance of these spots.

On Mr Khurshid’s invitation to attend either the inaugural or concluding ceremony of the 3rd Ganga Choti Winter Sports festival scheduled to be held from February 6-11, the prime minister said he would try his best to spare time for it to encourage the participants.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2023