FAISALABAD, July 15 (APP): Federal Ombudsman M Salman Faruqui on Friday said that National Committee had been constituted for suggesting ways and means regarding provision of education and skill development training to jail inmates particularly to juveniles and female prisoners.
During his visit to Borstal Jail Faisalabad, he said a joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had been signed with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), COMSATS Institute of Information Technology and Pakistan Sweet Home for providing education and skills to juvenile prisoners.
He said three sub-committees were also constituted by the Federal Ombudsman Office to propose measures to address problems of under-trail prisoners besides carrying out systemic study and assessment of general conditions in prison with particular reference to women and children.
The committees would also suggest measures for systemic improvements in jails besides dealing with the issue of segregation and treatment of first time offenders, he added.
The Federal Ombudsman informed that with the efforts of donors, a day care center at Kot Lukhpat Jail had been established for children living with their mothers.
He said jail libraries were also being upgraded besides providing vocational training facilities to inmates.
He said in Borstal Jail Faisalabad, new barracks would be constructed in addition to repairing and renovating the existing ones besides providing new beds and education facilities to jail prisoners.
He said during Ramzan, philanthropists paid fines amounting
to Rs 7.7 million for 57 poor prisoners whereas Eid gifts,
including clothes, were also distributed among 3,096 inmates.
He specially directed Provincial and District Prisons Committees to monitor prisons and pay surprise visits.
Senior Advisor (Law) /Registrar/Grievance Commissioner for
Overseas Pakistanis Federal Ombudsman Secretariat Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmad Khokhar said the office of Federal Ombudsman had jurisdiction over all federal government agencies/corporations etc. & Federally Administered Tribal Area.
He said a Grievance Commissioner had been appointed in the office of Federal Ombudsman to redress the grievance. He said focal persons had also been appointed in all relevant departments and all foreign missions of Pakistan.
He said once in a week, personal hearing of overseas Pakistanis had been arranged in 116 Pakistan Missions by ambassadors without prior appointments.
He said online appointment system had been made available in Pak missions regarding facilitation for attestation of documents and Machine Readable Passport Facility was being ensured abroad for more than 1,000 Overseas
Pakistanis.
