Model jail misses sixth completion deadline

Delay stretches project into its 14th year, pushing estimated cost to nearly Rs20b

RAWALPINDI:

The long-delayed Islamabad Model Jail project has missed yet another completion deadline, extending its construction saga into a 14th year and driving its estimated cost to nearly Rs20 billion, compared with the original projection of around Rs3.7b when work began in 2011.

The latest deadline of June 30, 2026, passed without the facility becoming operational despite repeated assurances that it would be ready to receive prisoners from Adiala Jail from July 1.

Officials had announced that around 2,000 undertrial and convicted prisoners belonging to Islamabad would be shifted to the new prison, easing overcrowding and operational pressure at Adiala Jail. However, the plan has once again been shelved due to a "shortage of funds" and construction delays

Sources said the project has now missed six completion deadlines, primarily because of inadequate funding and administrative hurdles. They warned that the beginning of the new financial year and the continued rise in the prices of construction materials could increase the project's overall cost by another Rs2b if the prison is not completed within the next six months.

Located in Sector H-16 of the federal capital, the Islamabad Model Central Jail is spread over 90 acres and has been designed to accommodate 2,000 inmates. Once completed, it will become the first purpose-built prison for the federal capital, replacing the existing arrangement under which Islamabad's prisoners are housed at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail.

The state-of-the-art correctional facility is being developed with modern security infrastructure and rehabilitation-focused amenities. The complex will include separate barracks for women and juvenile inmates, a fully equipped hospital, a mosque, a library, vocational training centres, courtrooms, administrative offices, residential accommodation for prison staff and a school for their children.

Officials say the facility has now entered its final phase of construction, although several key components still require completion before it can become operational.

At present, Islamabad has no functional prison of its own, forcing all undertrial and convicted prisoners from the capital to be lodged at Adiala Jail. Every day, hundreds of prisoners are transported between Rawalpindi and Islamabad courts for hearings, placing a significant burden on police manpower, security arrangements and traffic management.

Authorities believe the completion of the Islamabad Model Jail will substantially reduce these logistical challenges while improving security during prisoner transportation and providing a modern correctional environment.