LAHORE – The Zakat and Ushr Department of Punjab has decided to introduce a new scheme for prisoners who remain in jails despite completing their sentences due to non-payment of their fines.
Under the new scheme, it will be possible to pay the fines of prisoners using Zakat funds, allowing for their release.
As a pilot project, the scheme has initially been launched in 10 divisional headquarters districts, including Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, and Sargodha.
An official memo said the scheme has also been started in Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Dera Ghazi Khan, with Rs50 million allocated for the release of prisoners.
Each district jail has been allocated Rs5 million and the funds will be used to pay the fines imposed by courts on needy prisoners. .
The funds will be used in consultation with the relevant jail superintendent and a member of the Ushr Committee.
The Zakat and Ushr Department of Punjab has also issued the procedure for the release.
Earlier this month, the Punjab Home Department has made all prisoner remission records digitize and launched a new SMS service that allows families to check the release dates of inmates.
The family members of inmates can get to know expected release date of prisoners and details of any remission by sending the inmate’s computer number via SMS to 8070. The SMS will cost a nominal charge of Rs5.
