Free Electric Shuttle Service Starts For Jail Visitors

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published August 26, 2025 | 09:30 PM

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Aug, 2025) The Punjab Home Department has launched a free electric shuttle service to facilitate the families of prisoners, inaugurated at Central Jail Lahore by Chairperson Prison Reforms Task Force Rana Manan Khan and Home Secretary Dr. Ahmed Javed Qazi.

According to Home Department spokesperson, the electric shuttles will provide free transportation from jail entry points to waiting areas and meeting sheds, especially benefiting women, children, and the elderly.

Speaking on the occasion, Rana Manan Khan said the initiative reflects the vision of chief minister Punjab to transform prisons into rehabilitation centres. He added that the shuttle service will protect visitors from extreme weather and long walking distances.

Initially launched at Lahore and Narowal jails, the service will be extended to all prisons in Punjab, he added.

Following the inauguration, officials including IG Prisons Mian Farooq Nazir, Additional Secretary Prisons Asim Raza, DIG Prisons Lahore Region Naveed Rauf and Superintendent Ejaz Asghar joined the inaugural ride with prisoners’ families.

Dr. Ahmed Javed Qazi also announced that a mobile application, “Mulaqat App,” will soon be launched to allow families to schedule visitation appointments online.

He said the government is increasing the capacity of prisons by 6,000 inmates this year, with new women’s prisons under construction in Lahore, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi. Furthermore, PCO services have been introduced to facilitate inmates' communication with their families.

Under the Safe Prisons Project, 12,000 modern security cameras, scanners, and jammers will be installed in jails across Punjab to enhance monitoring and security, he added.