RAWALPINDI: The Inspector General of Prison Punjab has put security of jails throughout Punjab on high alert and instructed all senior jail officials to never leave the jails and to be there at all times.

The IG Prison Mian Farooq Nazir has ordered Deputy Inspectors General of Prisons and Superintendents of Jails — including DIG Rawalpindi Region and superintendent of Jail Adiala Asad Javed Warraich to further improve the security of jails.

He further directed the superintendents, deputy superintendents and assistant superintendents of jails to remain present on the premises of jails.

Due to the law and order situation in the country — the IG Prison imposed a ban on leaving the station without prior approval of the competent authority.

“We have received through reliable sources that the superintendents, deputy superintendents, and assistant superintendents often leave the station in odd hours and left the jail at the mercy of subordinate staff,” the IGP said in a letter to all Regional Inspector General of Prisons and superintendents of jails.

To ensure the safety and surveillance of jail inmates, all the superintendents of jails have been directed to assign the security staff duty at important points instead of less important points.

The IGP further said that the jail officers and officials should perform their duties with dedication, honesty, discipline and to ensure security of the jail.

Negligence and slackness in the execution of administrative affairs will not be tolerated under any circumstances, said the IGP.

All the Regional DIGs should visit their respective prisons twice a week to review prison security and discipline and the IG Prisons Office should also be informed about the situation of prisons by visiting their respective prisons.

Similarly, the CCTV cameras and control room equipment should be kept fully functional round the clock and practical steps should be taken to find out the problems faced by the inmates during the prison visit and take immediate steps to solve them.

Execution of orders has been started in central Jail Adiala Rawalpindi.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2023