Only one doctor for 3,500 prisoners in Lahore’s Camp Jail

LAHORE: The Camp Jail in Lahore has a single duty doctor for its 3500 prisoners, The News has learnt. This information was shared in a briefing held at the NAB Lahore Office attended by Additional Secretary Home Khizer Afzal, IG Prisons Mirza Shahid Saleem, DIG Prisons Malik Mubbashir, SP District Jail Asad Javed, Superintendent Central Jail Lahore Aijaz Asghar and NAB Lahore DG Shahzad Saleem.

According to NAB Lahore spokesperson, the meeting was called by NAB Lahore director general after receiving complaints of misbehaviour with the NAB accused shifted to jails after expiry of their physical remand.

Jail authorities informed in the briefing that previous governments were negligent in providing facilities to inmates but the incumbent government is serious and determined to cater to jail reforms. Jail authorities informed that there are 150 NAB accused detained in jails of Lahore while all the jails of the province have 46,000 inmates.

Jail authorities further shared that Camp Jail Lahore has a single duty doctor to attend 3500 inmates due to which an emergency situation becomes worse. They said due to shortage of jails in the province they are forced to keep more prisoners in a jail more than its capacity.

They suggested that hearings of cases through video links could not only facilitate jail authorities but will also save organisational resources.

During the briefing, NAB Lahore director general suggested that there should be separate jails for prisoners as per their nature of crime. He said to keep self-respect intact of any inmate is his basic right. He assured the jail authorities of taking up the matter with high-ups concerned.