SOPs issued for penalising prisoners over jail rules violation

LAHORE:Under the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Punjab Home Department continues its jail reforms initiative. New Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been issued to regulate punishments for prisoners violating jail rules.

According to the revised guidelines, only authorised penalties in line with jail rules will be enforced. To maintain transparency and fairness, supervisory officers have been granted enhanced powers. Jail superintendents or other officials are no longer authorised to impose punishments contrary to the established rules.

The SOPs state that any punishment must follow a thorough investigation. The jail superintendent must notify the relevant DIG Prisons in writing before penalising any prisoner. A complete inquiry, allowing the prisoner a fair opportunity to present their defense, will be conducted, with a detailed report sent to the DIG Prisons concerned.

All proceedings will be documented in writing. The DIG Prisons has the authority to review and either uphold or annul any punishment after careful assessment. Furthermore, supervisory officers can review any penalty imposed in any prison at any time. The department spokesperson emphasised that specific durations have been outlined for penalties related to rule violations. Prisoners requiring isolation for safety reasons cannot be placed in punishment blocks. However, those held in punishment blocks following a transparent inquiry will forfeit their right to clemency.

Punjab Secretary for Home Affairs, Noor-ul-Amin Mengal, has instructed the Inspector General (IG) Prisons to ensure strict implementation of these SOPs to uphold transparency and fairness in the system.