Federal Ombudsman For Installing Biometric Identification System In KP Jails

Federal Ombudsman Syed Tahir Shahbaz Friday informed that biometric identification system have been installed in 14 jails of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and integrate it with all departments of criminal administrative justice system

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Oct, 2021 ) :Federal Ombudsman Syed Tahir Shahbaz Friday informed that biometric identification system have been installed in 14 jails of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and integrate it with all departments of criminal administrative justice system.

He chaired a high-level meeting in Chief Secretary Office Peshawar alongwith Chief Secretary KP Dr. Kazim Niaz to review the progress and implementation status of the recommendations of Prisons Reforms Committee as entrusted by the Supreme Court.

The meeting was attended by the IG KP, IG Prisons KP, Home Secretary, Secretaries Law, Industries, Social Welfare, Health and Secretary Wafaqi Mohtasib Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Senior Adviser Ejaz A. Qureshi and other stakeholders.

IG Prisons Khalid Addas gave a detailed briefing and informed that the overcrowding in jails had been reduced upto 37% due to up-gradation of different jails.

He said that during the current financial year, the under construction jails of Swat and Hangu would ease the burden with 800 prisoners.

He said that in second phase the construction of Central Jails in Peshawar & D.I.Khan and District Jails in Swabi and Swat would be completed, whereas construction of District Jails in Tank, Shangla and Upper Dir were in pipeline.

He said that the biometric identification system had been installed in 14 jails and an agreement had been signed with UNODC for up-gradation & extension of PMIS in all other jails of KP.

During the meeting, the progress of the Provincial, District Oversight Committees (DOC) and Welfare Committees to improve life of prisoners especially children, women and destitute prisoners was discussed decisively with all the stakeholders of province.

He informed that during the current quarter 56 visits were made by DOCs, 15 visits by Provincial Oversight Committees (POC) and five meetings were convened by the POC in the matter.

The IG Prisons informed that Juveniles and women prisoners had already been segregated, Prisoners voluntary Donations Fund and Free Legal Aid Committee has been established and working with full spirit.

He said that Rescue-1122 started emergency treatment in 05 Central Prisons, whereas patients of Viral diseases i.e. Hepatitis B, V & HIV have been screened and mini labs have also been established in 12 jail hospitals.

He said that provincial government of KPK had already been exempted all prisoners from examination/verification fees.

He said that 2598 prisoners had been imparted formal education from SSC to Masters Level and 1040 prisoners completed their Nazira, Tarjuma and Hifz e Quran.

He informed the meeting that Rs 7,052,551 were donated in the last 06 months for release and payment for ARSH, DAMAN & DIYYAT for the destitute prisoners.

Syed Tahir Shahbaz, Federal Ombudsman has applauded the performance of the IG Prisons and asked the provincial government for early completion of Prisoners Biometric Identification System and its integration with the concerned departments i.e. Police, Prisons, Prosecution & NADRA and development of common interface for the prisoners throughout the chain from jails to courts within the shortest possible time.