PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Tuesday paid a detailed visit to Central Jail Peshawar, where he formally inaugurated a modern security system comprising CCTV cameras and other advanced equipment.
The project has been completed at a cost of Rs 440 million. The chief minister also inaugurated a rehabilitation centre for drug-addicted inmates and a model interview room. He announced the provision of Rs 20 million for the improvement of inmates’ facilities and announced the solarization of jails across the province.
During the visit, the chief minister carried out a detailed inspection of the medical ward and the e-visit system, met inmates, listened to their issues, and issued on-the-spot directives for the immediate resolution of various matters.
On the occasion, he announced a special remission of two months in the sentences of inmates in provincial jails and stated that the provincial government would pay the fines of inmates who remain imprisoned due to non-payment of fines.
He also directed the establishment of a digital complaint cell for the prompt redressal of inmates’ grievances. Furthermore, the chief minister sought proposals from the relevant authorities for the establishment of a hospital within the jail and directed the creation of separate special cells for juvenile inmates and women. He also instructed that further improvements be made in the family quarters for inmates in jails across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The chief minister directed that letters be sent to the relevant provinces for the transfer of inmates belonging to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who are currently imprisoned in other provinces. He also directed the holding of a darbar/Khuli Kutchehry next week to hear inmates’ issues and emphasized strict and effective implementation of the Parole and Probation Act, 2022.
The chief minister said that he would revisit Central Jail Peshawar in January, and by then, all legitimate demands must be addressed, with visible progress on the directives already issued. He said that the purpose of imprisonment is not merely punishment but to reform so that inmates may emerge as better and productive citizens.
He stated that the provincial government is investing in people and aligning institutions with modern requirements to ensure the best possible delivery of public services and facilities. Referring to the Army Public School tragedy, Sohail Afridi said that whenever 16 December arrives, the painful memories of this tragic incident are revived across the nation. He added that the APS tragedy is a heart-wrenching chapter in the country’s history that can never be forgotten.
