Federal Ombudsman vows to improve conditions of jails inmates

PESHAWAR, Sep 06 (APP):Federal Ombudsman, Syed Tahir Shahbaz said here Thursday vowed to help bring considerable improvement in the conditions of jails inmates across the country with main focus on making prisoners useful citizens of the society after completion of their jail term.
The Federal Ombudsman said this while chairing a high level meeting held in the backdrop of Supreme Court’s directives urging Ombudsman Office to ensure implementation of reforms in jails.
The meeting was attended by IGP Prisons, Shahid Ullah Khan, Senior Advisor Grievances for Overseas Pakistanis, National Commissioner for Children and Senior Advisor to Ombudsman Office, Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi,, Advisor to Federal Ombudsman Hafiz Ehsan Kokhar and officials of Prosecution, Home and Prison Departments.
The Federal Ombudsman said role of district oversights committees are vital in matters pertaining to coordinating with concerned departments for bringing further improvement in jails.
He urged chairman and members of these committees to closely coordinate with jail authorities and others departments to provide better services to inmates at district jails.
Pakistan Baitul Mall, philanthropists and charity organizations can help all those prisoners languishing in jails due to non-payment of fine by paying their outstanding amount to set them free.
Briefing the meeting, Hafiz Ehsan informed that today’s gathering has focused on conditions of jails inmates especially women and children in the country and reviewed various reforms and projects implemented by the provinces including KP to bring improvements in lives of prisoners.
The main reforms and proposals included construction of new jails to ease increasing load of the prisoners in the present jails, construction of new barracks in jails, introduction of biometric system, computerization of inmates record and provision of better health facilities to prisoners and provision of better facilities to visitors.
He informed that at present jails were available in 98 districts of the country where strength of prisoners were more than required capacity as per Govt.’ sanction strength.
He said provinces were directed to submit implement report about jails reforms by September 10.
Khokar said meeting of officials of concerned departments of all provinces had been convened at Federal Ombudsman Office on September 11 to give final shape to the reforms, projects and recommendations before submission of first implementation report to the Supreme Court shortly.
National Commissioner for Children and Senior Advisor to Ombudsman Office, Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi said significant improvement has been witnessed in jails due to implementation of reforms introduced by the government.
Improvement in services at Pakistan Baitul Mall and Sweet Homes has benefited children and women, he said.
He suggested effective coordination among institutions to bring further improvement in jails.
IGP Prisons KP Shahidullah Khan told the meeting that all forwarded recommendations were implemented in the province and Additional IGP Prisons, Masoodur Rehman was made focal person to closely coordinate with different stakeholders, departments and oversight committees at district level.
He said health facilities for inmates in jails have been improved and government has been requested for provision of Rs6.7 million fund for enhancement of quality medical services to inmates in the province.
In addition to bringing improvement in food menu in jails, prisoners record in 14 jails were computerized in the province under Prison Management Information System (PMIS).
The others speakers suggested play areas for children of lower jails staff besides financial assistance from Pakistan Baitul Mall and other philanthropists for payment of fine amount of prisoners. They also suggested speedy disposal of cases and computerization of all jail and prisoners record.