System launched for digital monitoring of prisons.

LAHORE -- As part of a jail reforms initiative, the Punjab government on Tuesday launched prison management information system (PMIS) to 'digitally monitor seven prisons throughout the province', and promised to gradually expand it to all prisons in the province.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar inaugurated the system at a ceremony held at Civil Secretariat here on Tuesday. On the occasion, the CM was told that the new system will allow digital monitoring of prisoners, staff and other things.

The scope of PMIS will be gradually expanded to all jails to maintain a digital record and monitoring of prisoners' movement and other activities during their confinement. Similarly, visitors' record will also be maintained.

The meeting decided to take steps for increasing the capacity of Punjab jails to accommodate 10,000 more prisoners. It was also decided to increase the strength of doctors and paramedics according to the needs.

On the occasion, the CM claimed that organised jail reforms had begun after 100 years, adding that prisoners would be provided with all facilities according to the jail manual. He also directed to install air coolers and water coolers in all jails.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Momin Ali Agha briefed the CM that steps had been taken to protect the prisoners from coronavirus. He said 1,584 prisoners have been relocated from congested Lahore jails to other places and a 100-bed hospital was fully functional at the Camp Jail. Some 84 out of 1,680 prisoners were tested for coronavirus and only seven...