Pakistan’s first high security prison designed especially for dangerous and high-profile prisoners linked with terrorism and sectarianism will be inaugurated in Sahiwal in February, it has been learnt.
Sources in the Punjab Prisons Department said that the jail had been constructed on 98 acres with an estimated cost of Rs 930.206 million and would have the capacity to hold 1,044 prisoners. They said that initially prisoners serving terms in ordinary cases would be transferred to the jail on trial basis after which people accused in terrorism and sectarian cases from across the country would be brought there.
The breakup of the new jail’s structure, staff strength and the equipment installed there shows that as many as 841 officials ranking from superintendent orderly (BS-1) to jail superintendent (BS-19) have been recruited by the Prisons Department on temporary basis with a cost of Rs 488.826million.
The Punjab government had hired services of National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) Haripur to install security gadgets, IT-related equipment and CCTV surveillance system at the jail. The facility has so far got a control room, switch room, fire alarm system, 18 PTZ Dom and 410 CCTV cameras, three UPS, Server, NVR (configuration and amounted, four blocker barrier, three tyre killers, under vehicle surveillance system, besides electro-mechanical barriers, sources said.
The department has paid Rs 49.117 million to Wah Industries Taxila to acquire 100 G-3 rifles, 100 semiautomatic rifles, 50 AK-47 Russian rifles, 40 shotguns, 20 pressure guns, 10 sniper rifles, 25 pistols, 50 bulletproof jackets, 50 bulletproof helmets, five stun guns, and as many tear gas guns for the facility.
Besides, light armoured vehicles, six MGE with accessories, 100 GEAE with accessories, 50 SMG PK, 100 MP-5-A3 and 5,000 Ammo will also be among the items purchased for the jail.