LAHORE: The Punjab prison administration has imposed new restrictions on the sanctioning of casual leave for jail officers across the province after observing what it described as a troubling pattern of absenteeism by supervisory staff on the eve of inspections and other critical occasions.
According to the directives issued from Lahore on Feb 15, 2026, a copy of which is available with Jang, the Office of the Inspector General of Prisons, Punjab, conveyed its “grave concern” that a majority of Additional Superintendents of Jail, Deputy Superintendents of Jail and subordinate staff were found to be on leave during inspections and on red letter days. The communication warned that such absenteeism at critical junctures not only reflected a lack of administrative preparedness but also posed serious security and operational risks within jail establishments.
The directives addressed to all Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) of Prisons in the regions and all Superintendents of Jails in Punjab, emphasized that the presence of responsible supervisory officers was essential to ensure effective oversight, institutional discipline, emergency responsiveness and the overall security of prisons, particularly during inspections and other sensitive periods.
To maintain strict administrative control, operational preparedness and institutional security, the Inspectorate issued a series of binding directives for immediate and strict compliance throughout the province.
Under the new instructions, any request for leave by an Additional Superintendent Jail or Deputy Superintendent Jail must be duly recommended by the Superintendent Jail concerned and formally approved by the respective DIG of the region. These officers have been directed to record full leave details in their Report Books and are expressly barred from leaving jail premises without prior written approval from the DIG Region.
The authority to sanction casual leave has been centralised at the level of DIG Region, who must first verify the Casual Leave Account before granting approval. The memo stipulates that casual leave shall not be granted unless the sanctioning authority has satisfied itself that the leave applied for is due and that the total leave already availed by the officer is not excessive in relation to the period of service during the calendar year.
To ensure systematic oversight, the directive requires that a proper Casual Leave Account of each Deputy Superintendent Jail and Additional Superintendent Jail be maintained in the prescribed format at the office of DIG Region. Inspecting Officers and Inspection Teams have been tasked with checking casual leave records during annual and surprise inspections and certifying compliance as part of their official assessment.
In a further tightening of movement controls, the memorandum makes it mandatory that no government servant shall leave headquarters during casual leave or holidays without obtaining prior permission from the competent authority.
For Assistant Superintendents Jail and other staff, applications must be recommended by the Deputy Superintendent Jail and approved by the Superintendent Jail through formal written orders, reinforcing hierarchical accountability.
Significantly, the communication announces that from next week, the Inspectorate of Prisons Punjab will undertake inspections of DIG Region offices and jails across the province. Casual leave records will be specifically examined during these visits to assess compliance with the newly issued instructions.
“All officers shall ensure strict adherence to the above directions,” the directives states, cautioning that any deviation will be viewed seriously and may attract disciplinary action.
Officials said the measures are aimed at restoring strict command and administrative continuity within the provincial jail system, ensuring that supervisory officers remain present and accountable during inspections and other high sensitivity periods and reinforcing institutional discipline across Punjab’s prisons.
