Ombudsman vows welfare of inmates

PESHAWAR: Federal Ombudsman Syed Tahir Shahbaz on Thursday vowed to help bring considerable improvement in the conditions of jails inmates across the country with the main focus on making prisoners productive citizens of the society after completion of their jail term.

He said this while chairing a 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 Shahidullah Khan, Senior Advisor on Grievances for Overseas Pakistanis, National Commissioner for Children and Senior Advisor to Ombudsman Office Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi, Advisor to Federal Ombudsman Hafiz Ehsan Khokhar and officials of Prosecution, Home and Prison Departments.

The federal ombudsman said the role of district oversight committees is 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 organisations can help all those prisoners languishing in jails due to non-payment of fine by paying their outstanding amount to set them free, he added.