Strict action to be taken against negligent officials at Malir jail: prisons minister

Sindh Minister for Prisons and Works Service Ali Hassan Zardari on Wednesday visited the Malir district jail, where he was given a briefing by the jail administration on measures for the re-arrest of prisoners who had escaped during a jailbreak two days ago.

He Zardari said the provincial government immediately took major action in consultation with him, and strict action would be taken against anyone who was found negligent. Our efforts have been to make the jail a reformatory facility, in which we are achieving success, he remarked.

The provincial minister said reformatory changes have been made in the jail manual, and we have been making every possible effort to provide facilities to the prisoners. Moreover, he said, prisoners who escaped from the jail should be arrested immediately.

He further said many fleeing prisoners were rearrested immediately due to the timely response of the police and other law enforcement agencies. He shared that prisoners convicted in drug and minor cases are kept in the Malir jail.

Minister Zardari said the prisons department and the Malir jail administration had a record of every prisoner, various police teams had been formed to arrest the fugitive prisoners, and Insha Allah, and the fugitive prisoners would be arrested very soon.

A three-month reduction in the sentence of prisoners who return voluntarily will be recommended, and the Malir jail incident will be fully investigated, he said and added that the chief minister has set up a two-member inquiry committee and those involved in the jail incident will not be pardoned under any circumstances.

He added that efforts were underway to convert Sindh's jails into correctional centres and sudden visits had become a threat to mafias. Those who deliver food to prisons are being questioned strictly, and no mafia will get concessions, he said, claiming that his steps have brought about a clear improvement to the prison system.