Provincial Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Social Welfare Raja Basharat has said that it has been decided to bring comprehensive reforms for the betterment of Punjab’s jails and prisoners.
He was presiding over a meeting in this regard at the Civil Secretariat on Friday. The meeting was briefed by officials of Home Department, Prisons Department and Law Department. Raja Basharat stressed that the prison reform program should be completed as per the directions of the Chief Minister.
He said that the main purpose of the new reforms was to make prisoners responsible citizens by reshaping their character.
He said that the establishment of parole service and independent department is an important step of the PTI government which will facilitate the work of parole and eliminate the existing complications. The meeting agreed to amend existing laws and rules related to prisons and increase the use of modern technology.
Earlier in the departmental briefing, it was informed that the amended draft of the Prisons Act, 1894 would be prepared by May 12, while the notification of the Punjab Probation and Parole Service Act, 2019 has been issued.
“The Punjab Chief Minister has approved the Parole Board and the nomination process of the board members is underway”. It was further informed that a modern management information system has been introduced for automation of prisons’ records and monitoring of inmates which has been activated in seven jails of the province while in the second phase it would be extended to 20 more jails.
