Punjab prisons minister visits Lahore Central jail in ‘violation of law’

LAHORE (92 News) – Punjab Minister for Prisons Zawar Hussain Warraich on Wednesday night visited Central Jail Lahore in ‘sheer violation of the law’. The jail superintendent, in a letter to the IG Prisons, stated that the minister visited the jail at 3am and stopped any official or employee to enter jail. He said that the minister snatched the main gate keys from the guard and gave them to an official in civvies. “By giving the keys to an irrelevant person, the minister violated the Pakistan Prisons Rules 1978 and put the security of the jail at risk,” he added. The superintendent jail said the minister’s team also adopted an insulting attitude towards the officials posted at the check-post and snatched walkie-talkie from them. Under the rule number 922 of Pakistan Prisons Rules 1978, no visitor could visit the jail after being locked. Under the rule 924, no visitor can visit the jail without any security. The jail superintendent said that no visitor is allowed to take his mobile phone in the jail, but the minister forcibly took his mobile phone. He said that the no visitor can interview a prisoner. “The minister not only met high-profile criminals involved in terrorism but arranged a meeting with the people in civvies,” he said.