US embassy team calls on home secretary

LAHORE: Punjab Home Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal met a delegation of the US Embassy’s International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Bureau (INL), led by Program Officer Garhett Mecham here at the Civil Secretariat on Wednesday.

The meeting, which focused on law enforcement and the probation and parole system, highlighted recent reforms and collaborative efforts. Mengal elaborated the Punjab Home Department’s new Community Service Model for probationers. He said this initiative engaged 40,000 probationers across the province in community service roles. Following international standards, the probationers’ community service requirements and durations will now be specified in their respective court orders. The probationers would be assigned tasks according to their educational and technical skills, aiming to transform them into productive members of the society. The new model is expected to enhance societal benefits and support rehabilitation.

Garhett praised the Punjab government’s prison reform model, calling it commendable. He expressed a desire for ongoing partnership to advance justice and law enforcement, emphasizing that the success of the Community Service Model could result in substantial annual savings for the Punjab government.

The meeting was also attended by Special Secretary Home Fazl-ur-Rehman, Additional Secretary Prisons Asim Raza, DG Probation & Parole Service Shahid Iqbal, Deputy Secretary Home Tasneem Ahmed and professors from the LUMS, the Lahore College for Women University, and the Government College University Lahore.