ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday ordered an inquiry into a delay in the construction of the Islamabad model jail as well as the establishment of a forensic lab in the capital, as he chaired a meeting in Lahore about the law and order situation in the federal capital.

In the meeting attended by the interior minister among others, Prime Minister Sharif was briefed on several projects, including the model jail, the federal counter-terrorism department, the special protection unit, and the Safe City project, said a statement.

During the meeting, the premier took notice of a delay in the prison and ordered its completion as early as possible in line with modern standards. He also ordered the construction of a vocational centre and a hospital in the under-construction prison. The meeting was also briefed about a K-9 centre for the detection of explosive materials and drugs.

About the special protection unit, the prime minister said that Chinese experts should be consulted in its formation. He added that it was the utmost responsibility of the state to protect the lives of Pakistanis as well as foreign nationals residing in the country. He said that he would not tolerate any negligence in safety measures for the people. The PM said that recruitment for security-related projects in Islamabad should be done on merit and the latest technology be used for the purpose in line with global standards.

PM gets briefing on law and order in capital, says security of locals, foreigners top priority

Islamabad Model Jail

It may be recalled that work on the model jail was started in 2016. As per the original PC-I, the project worth Rs3.9 billion was supposed to be completed in 36 months i.e. July 2019. About a year ago, the PC-I was revised with the cost escalating to Rs18.2 billion. As per the revised PC-I, the project was supposed to be completed in July 2024.

In the revised PC-I, the covered area was increased from 869,621 square feet to 914,329 square feet. The PC-I was revised because of changes to the covered area, variation in scope as per actual site condition, replacement of the asphaltic road, revision of foundation design due to a shallow water table, service conditions, premium of land, a sewerage treatment plant, enhanced security level equipment and inflation.

The project was conceived in 2007 and a committee was constituted by the Ministry of Interior, comprising the ICT administration, CDA and the district judiciary for the selection of an appropriate site. The site was finalised at a meeting under the chairmanship of the then-chief justice of the Federal Shariat Court in February 2012.

After the approval of its board, the CDA allotted 90 acres in H-16/2 to the ICT in 2013 and the land was handed over to it in 2014. During the PTI government in 2020, the then prime minister ordered the shifting of the jail from its current site as it was being constructed in green and buffer zones. Buffer zones are neutral sites that separate areas; Islamabad’s buffer zone separates the federal capital from Rawalpindi. However, CDA officials had told Dawn that H-16 did not fall in the actual buffer zone.

Last month, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that Islamabad Model Jail will be completed in six months. During an inspection of the under-construction jail in Sector H-16, the minister observed that the project had been stalled for years and tasked the officials concerned with completing the first phase of the project in six months. He also asked the chief commissioner and the IGP Islamabad to regularly review the progress of the construction.

Chief Commissioner Mohammad Ali Randhawa had apprised the minister that this project was approved in 2011. He said the jail will have the capacity for 2,000 prisoners which will be increased to house 2,000 more inmates. On May 6, the commissioner directed the department concerned to complete and make the model jail operational in 100 days.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2024