Discusses political issues, performance of prisons dept with prisons minister
Amraiz Khan
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Sunday said that reforms are being introduced in the prison system to transform prisons into rehabilitation and human development centres.
“For the first time, a Chief Minister visited more than 10 jails to review and inspect problems of prisoners as no ruler had ever visited jail since Pakistan came into being,” Usman Buzdar pointed out, adding that the children of women prisoners will be taken special care of as prisoner have basic human rights.
Chief Minister Usman Buzdar was talking to Punjab Prisons Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan who called on the CM. The minister discussed with the CM political issues and performance of the Prisons Department.
During the meeting held at CM’s Secretariat on Sunday, Fayyazul Hassan Chohan briefed the Chief Minister about the performance of his department.
On the occasion, CM Usman Buzdar stressed that work on reforms being introduced in the prison system should be stepped up to benefit the prisoners and make them useful citizens of the society.
The chief minister said that multi-storey barracks are being constructed in the seven jails and Prisoner Management Information System has been launched in 21 jails of the province. He said that all possible steps are being taken for the betterment of the prisoners.
The chief minister further directed to improve the monitoring system of the jails and said that the outdated jail manual would be changed as per the new demands to being easiness in the lives of jail inmates as prisoners are also human beings.
He said that the Punjab government has made far-reaching reforms in the prison system aimed at protecting the basic rights of prisoners.
Amendments are being made in the 125-year-old prison rules as no attention had ever been paid to prison reform in the past.
Usman Buzdar further stated that said that the opposition has nothing to do with the problems of the people, these people are only experts in propaganda but such elements cannot mislead the people of Pakistan any more.
Minister Prisons Fayyazul Hassan Chohan warned the opposition that their hollow slogans can’t shake the government. PDM is a gang of certified corrupt, incapable and incompetents people.
He said that the alliance of PDM has been scattered. They only want to come into power again to make money, he added.
On the other hand, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said that the Punjab government has released funds for the development projects of the fiscal year 2021-22.
The chief minister said that his government has committed to timely completion of development projects and measures are being taken for the availability of funds for ongoing schemes.
Usman Buzdar said that they have released funds for the next year’s development projects and directives have been given to expedite work on the projects.
“I will regularly monitor progress on the development projects and besides pace, quality should also be ensured during the process,” he said during the meeting.
The chief minister said that examination of the projects would be carried out through directorate general monitoring and third-party audits.