HARIPUR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Prisons Rehan Gul Khattak on Wednesday said he had prioritised the prisoners’ healthcare, the provision of quality food and cleanliness in jails as part of efforts to improve the provincial prison system.

He was speaking to reporters after attending the passing-out parade of jail warders at the Prison Staff Academy (PSTA) here. More than 155 newly-recruited jail warders completed a three-month training course.

“After assuming this office, I told my jail superintendents that there will be no compromise on quality of food and healthcare of prisoners and cleanliness of jails,” he said.

The IG said he had visited American prisons but found jails in KP to be functioning more efficiently.

He pledged to continue working to improve the prison system, adding that serious efforts were being made to transform prisons from centres of retribution into correctional facilities.

Mr Khattak said positive changes could be achieved through educated and properly trained watch-and-ward staff who understood prisoners’ rights.

He added that efforts were under way to modernise the prison system through digitalisation.

The government had provided adequate funds to the prisons department to modernise jail security systems, he said.

Mr Khattak said the Prisons Act of 1894 and the relevant legislation of 1901 were being amended to transform jails into correctional facilities in the true sense of the term. He said plans were also under way to establish a computer laboratory and construct a women’s hostel and a mosque at the PSTA.

The IG added that a request had been submitted to the provincial government to bring the pay structure of prison staff in line with that of police personnel.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2026