Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works raised concerns over the exclusion of female and juvenile prisoners from the first phase of the Islamabad Model Jail project.
During the visit of Chairman Senator Nasir Mehmood and other committee members, it was informed that the original master plan, prepared in 2017, envisaged a comprehensive reformative facility catering to all categories of inmates, including women and juveniles. However, due to budgetary constraints, the federal government decided to implement the project in phases to prevent the project from becoming redundant. The first phase, now nearing completion, has a capacity of 732 male inmates.
The committee unanimously called for the inclusion of separate facilities for female and juvenile prisoners in the subsequent phase. The chairman directed the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives to brief the Committee on the project's second phase, its current status, future plans and proposed timeline for completion.
The committee members reviewed the status of its construction, modern facilities, medical infrastructure and proposed skill-development programmes for inmates. The committee also convened its meeting at the jail premises.
The committee was informed that the total cost of the Islamabad Model Jail stands at PKR 7.41 billion, with approximately 97 percent of the construction work completed. The committee was further informed that a modern hospital equipped with latest medical facilities has been established, while the hospital and kitchen can be made operational within 24 hours.
The committee, however, expressed serious concern over the prolonged delay in completion of the project and stressed that the facility should not merely serve as a conventional prison but should fulfil its original objective of rehabilitation and reform of inmates.
