‘Prisons dept to seek PU help to make inmates law-abiding citizens

By our correspondents
January 19, 2018

LAHORE: The Punjab Prisons Department will seek collaboration of the Punjab University for the reformation of the prisoners on modern scientific lines to inculcate hatred for crimes in society besides making them responsible and law-abiding citizens after their release from jail.

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It was stated here on Thursday by Inspector General of Prisons, Punjab, Mirza Shahid Saleem Baig at a meeting with Vice Chancellor, PU, Prof Dr Muhammad Zakaria Zakar. The IG said that the faculty, PhD and MPhil students of Psychology, Applied Psychology, Social Work and Sociology departments can play vital role in the reformation of prisoners with the help of their modern knowledge and expertise.

He said Prisons Department will welcome them to various jails of their choice and focal person will be deployed for co-ordination with the faculty. Mirza Shahid Saleem said that female PU faculty will be fully encouraged to deliver thought provoking lectures to women prisoners at Central Jail Kotlakhpat and Women Jail Multan for inculcating the spirit of law-abiding citizens and help diminish emotional sentiments which he added is one of the major causes of commission of crime in society.

VC Prof Dr Zakaria Zakar welcoming the IG at new campus said the PU will provide all best possible assistance and co-operation to Punjab Prisons Department and PU faculty will visit the jails to improve the image of the prisons and suggest a set of proposals for further betterment of the inmates.

He said in present era the status of any country is now determined with the level of protection of human rights. He stressed the urgent need for strictly adhering to the implementation of human rights laws. He said that a meeting of the faculties concerned will be convened soon to work out a viable strategy to accede to the request of the Prisons Department and asked the IG to depute one of the DIG Jail to represent the department in the meetings to finalise the arrangements for regular visits to jails. VC said majority of the prisoners are under-matriculate what they need is proper education and counseling by the highly qualified experts and PU will provide this expertise free of cost.

He accepted the offer of IG for conducting surprise visit to any of the prisons in the Punjab for inspection and checking the quality of food, cleanliness in kitchen and store and medical facilities besides environment in and around the jails.

Earlier, IG delivering a special lecture to the students of the Institute of Communication Studies about the working of his department said that chicken six days in a week is being served to over 50,390 prisoners in 41 various jails of the province. He said that one the best menu has been prepared on the recommendation of the food and technology department of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad. He said technical education besides other academic including religious short and long duration courses are being offered to prisoners with the help of Tevta and Allama Iqbal Open University and those who qualify the exams are given special remission in their sentences. In response to a question, he said in prevailing circumstances overall security has been beefed up across the province and modern jammers installed at all jails.

He replied to the questions asked by the students. Later, In-charge Institute of Communication Studies Prof Dr Nosheena Saleem and senior faculty member Dr Waqar Ch thanked him for visiting the department and briefing the students about the activities of prisons department. The VC presented a bouquet and souvenir to IG Prisons.

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