Under Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s Jail Reforms Agenda, significant progress has been made in rehabilitating prisoners by integrating them into jail industries.
The Punjab Home Department has announced that prisoners working in various jail industries have started receiving wages, enabling them to support their families while serving their sentences.
Punjab Home Department’s spokesperson told media on Saturday that in a notable development, inmates at District Jail Shahpur received wages before Eid for producing Nooroozi sandals, a popular traditional footwear.
These handcrafted sandals are now being sold in the market, and the earnings are directly deposited into the prisoners’ personal accounts.
He stated that prisoners are being trained under the supervision of experts, ensuring that their products meet high standards of quality, durability, and craftsmanship.
He added that providing vocational training and employment opportunities to inmates paves the way for their reintegration into society as productive citizens after their release.
Additionally, the Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce & Industry is assisting in the sale, customer service, and delivery of products made by prisoners.
Across Punjab, inmates are engaged in manufacturing furniture, carpets, handicrafts, utensils, paper, tiles, phenyl, perfumes, soap, LED bulbs, tissue paper, footballs, and more.
Furthermore, prisoners are receiving vocational training in fields such as motor mechanics, barbering, cooking, beauty services, and IT to enhance their employability after release.
The spokesperson said that the jail industry and skilled prisoner programs stand as a model of successful prison reforms, aiming to empower inmates with dignity, self-sufficiency, and a brighter future.
