Prisons rules being amended, says Buzdar

LAHORE: Punjab Prisons Minister Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan called on Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at the CM Secretariat on Sunday, briefed him about performance of his department and discussed with him political issues in the province.

Usman Buzdar said that reforms were being introduced in the prisons system, as prisoners also have basic human rights. For the first time in the province’s history, a chief minister had visited more than 10 jails to review and inspect the problems of prisoners. The children of women prisoners would be taken care of, he said adding that multi-storey barracks were being constructed in the seven jails and the Prisoner Management Information System had been launched in 21 jails of the province.

The chief minister said that all possible steps were being taken for the prisoners’ betterment. He also ordered for improving the monitoring system in jails and said that the outdated jail manual would be changed as per the new demands to bring ease in the lives of inmates as prisoners were also human beings.

He said that the Punjab government had brought about far-reaching reforms in the prisons system, which was aimed at protecting the basic rights of prisoners.Amendments were being made to the 125-year old prison rules, as no attention had ever been paid to prison reforms in the past, he added.

Usman Buzdar said that the opposition had nothing to do with the people’s problems and they were only expert in propaganda. But such elements could not mislead people anymore.The prisons minister also warned the opposition that their hollow slogans could not shake the government. He said the PDM was a gang of certified corrupt, incapable and incompetent people. He said that the PDM alliance had been shattered.

They only wanted to come to power again to make money, he added.Meanwhile, Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht also called on the chief minister here at the CM Office. Talking to the Punjab finance minister, the chief minister said the Punjab government was committed to timely completion of development projects to maintain economic growth in the province.

Usman Buzdar congratulated the provincial minister for presenting the best and a people-friendly budget for the current financial year. Jawan Bakht thanked the chief minister for his guidance and full support in preparation of the budget and the Annual Development Programme.

The chief minister said that availability of 100 percent allocated funds for ongoing development schemes was being ensured. He added that funds had been released by the Finance Department for the ongoing schemes for the Annual Development Programme of the financial year 2021-22 and Communications & Works and other departments concerned had also been instructed to accelerate pace on different development schemes without any delay.

Usman Buzdar said that under the Planning & Development Department, an effective monitoring mechanism had been devised, asserting that he would monitor the progress made on development projects on regular basis. He said that quality and standard in these development projects would also be ensured.

The services of the Directorate General for Monitoring and Evaluation would be acquired for quality and transparency checks in the projects, besides ensuring third party audits.The chief minister directed the departments to maintain financial discipline, curtail unnecessary expenditures and strictly implement the policy of saving and austerity. He said the Finance Department had adopted an effective strategy to deal with the challenges of COVID-19. A tax relief package of more than Rs56.5 billion had been given to support the economy affected by COVID-19, he added.