LAHORE, May 4: A series of appointments of ‘blue-eyed’ officers in Punjab jails by the Home Department, a few of them on the direct ‘intervention’ of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, has made the Prisons Inspectorate ineffective in the last two years or so, causing disciplinary and professional issues in jails, Provincial Home Department sources told Dawn.
The home secretary office, on the orders of the CM’s Secretariat, has not only been ignoring Prison Inspector General (IG) Kokab Nadeem Warraich’s advice on appointment of officers having good repute, but is also interfering in IG’s authority to appoint the officers of BS-16 and below.
Sources said the home secretary office had rejected IG office’s recommendations to punish subordinates violating rules and discipline.
They said over half a dozen of superintendents of jail and their deputies either facing inquiries or found guilty of misconduct and declared unfit for the posts by the Punjab Prisons Inspectorate continued their jobs with the blessings of CM Secretariat and the home secretary.
Department’s record says Sheikhupura District Jail Superintendent Sheikh Khalid, BS-18, is facing an inquiry in connection with a criminal case lodged by his relative with the Muridke Sadar police station. Mr Khalid has also been facing another inquiry for receiving gratification from some criminals confined to the Multan district jail.
Mr Khalid was posted Sheikhupura district jail superintendent on a one telephone call by a PML-N leader from Lahore.
Similarly, a high-level inquiry against incumbent Gujranwala Central Jail Superintendent Malik Zia, BS-19, held by the prison IG one year ago, had recommended his transfer, but it was never materialised.
Mr Zia had invited a TV news channel to the jail for the interview of a woman prisoner without taking approval from senior officials.
Sources said Mr Zia had a very close association with a Gujranwala-based PML-N MNA.
The jail record states the Home Department transferred and posted a woman deputy superintendent of jail to the Vehari district jail meant for men a few months ago against the rules. The Inspectorate of Prisons watched the development helplessly. Later, the orders were withdrawn.
Sources said some jail waders (BS-5) were even appointed on the direction of the home secretary in the tenure of former home secretary Nadeem Hassan Asif.
They said increasing political interference in transfers and postings of jail officials had cornered the prison IG and weakened his control over the staff as field officials were being controlled from the powerful corridors.
Sources said several names recommended by the IG for superintendents and deputies and below scales to the home secretary were dropped and new people were appointed.
Punjab Home Secretary Shahid Khan refused to comment, saying the reporter had better talk to an appropriate media official in the Punjab government. He, however, refused to divulge the name of an ‘appropriate media official’.
