LAHORE, Dec 9: Nearly 4,000 prisoners involved in petty offences will be released before Eid from all the 29 jails of the province.

The move is aimed at reducing crowding in the prisons where 54,252 inmates are confined against accommodation for 17,413 people.

According to a prisons department spokesman, the Punjab government has adopted a policy to release all under-trial prisoners involved in petty offences on bail by competent courts. A committee headed by district and sessions judge has been constituted in each district for the purpose. Each jail head prepares a list of such prisoners who fall in the category of petty offences and presents it to the judge during his visit to the jail who orders their release on bail after fulfilling all legal formalities. “Special arrangements have been made in all jails to release such prisoners before Eid,” the spokesman said.—APP