Rift brewing between home dept, prisons minister

Spat prompted by minister alleged attempt to swap Adiala, Faisalabad jail superintendents

LAHORE:

Punjab’s minister for prisons may have sparked a row with the province’s home department following his recent visit to Adiala Jail, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The alleged spat is said to have been spurred by minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan’s attempt to swap two prison chiefs and his choice of entourage, officials privy to the matter told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity.

According to the officials, Chohan during his visit asked Inspector General Prisons Shahid Saleem Baig to send a summary for switching the present Adiala and Faisalabad jail superintendents. The IG Prisons, however, apologised on grounds that the home department, not the prisons minister, had the authority to transfer jail superintendents and deputy superintendents. As such, he advised Chohan to contact the home department on the matter, they said.

When Chohan contacted the home department, the latter chose to inform the Chief Minister’s House instead of sending the summary for the transfers to the minister.

Curiously, IG Prisons Baig, when contacted, said this practice is usually reserved for instances when a ban on transfers is in effect. “Summaries of prison officers’ transfers are not sent to the chief minister under normal circumstances,” he told The Express Tribune.

According to sources aware of developments, both Adiala authorities and intelligence agencies took issue with two individuals who accompanied Chohan during his visit to the jail.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd, 2020.