Crackdown begins into illegal phone use in jails
Haripur Central Jail authorities launch operation in male section of the prison .
PESHAWAR:
Authorities at Haripur Central Jail on Sunday launched a search operation to identify prisoners in illegal possession of phones. The move comes a day after an intelligence agency’s report revealed that imprisoned terror suspects were breaking the law and using mobile phones in their cells.
Officials of the Home and Tribal Affairs Department of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) told The Express Tribune that a search operation had been conducted inside the prison to confiscate cell phones from the prisoners and prevent them from communicating with their associates. They said the operation had been conducted by the jail administration with the help of local police, adding that it was a surprise operation to prevent the prisoners from hiding their phones and other banned items.
Giving details of the recovered items during the search operation, officials claimed that 135 mobile phones, 72 mobile phone chargers, 22 batteries, 24 headphones, 8 electric heaters, two electric rods, four knives, 50 grams of hashish and 25 grams of heroin were recovered.
Officials added that the operation was conducted only in the male section of the prison, while female prisoners’ cells and the factory area of the prison will be searched today (Monday).
When contacted, K-P Prisons Inspector General Khalid Abbas confirmed the reports, saying that similar discreet operations would be conducted in prisons across the province in the near future to identify those prisoners who were flouting laws.
“Unfortunately the prison department could not conduct such operations before and prisoners were openly using mobile phones, but we have now planned to rectify the situation. It will take time but I assure you, we will do it,” Abbas claimed.
Abbas added that the process of installing jammers inside the prisons will be completed in six months. “Once jammers are installed, mobile phone signals will be jammed and prisoners will not be able to use their devices,” he concluded.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 9th, 2012.
Authorities at Haripur Central Jail on Sunday launched a search operation to identify prisoners in illegal possession of phones. The move comes a day after an intelligence agency’s report revealed that imprisoned terror suspects were breaking the law and using mobile phones in their cells.
Officials of the Home and Tribal Affairs Department of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) told The Express Tribune that a search operation had been conducted inside the prison to confiscate cell phones from the prisoners and prevent them from communicating with their associates. They said the operation had been conducted by the jail administration with the help of local police, adding that it was a surprise operation to prevent the prisoners from hiding their phones and other banned items.
Giving details of the recovered items during the search operation, officials claimed that 135 mobile phones, 72 mobile phone chargers, 22 batteries, 24 headphones, 8 electric heaters, two electric rods, four knives, 50 grams of hashish and 25 grams of heroin were recovered.
Officials added that the operation was conducted only in the male section of the prison, while female prisoners’ cells and the factory area of the prison will be searched today (Monday).
When contacted, K-P Prisons Inspector General Khalid Abbas confirmed the reports, saying that similar discreet operations would be conducted in prisons across the province in the near future to identify those prisoners who were flouting laws.
“Unfortunately the prison department could not conduct such operations before and prisoners were openly using mobile phones, but we have now planned to rectify the situation. It will take time but I assure you, we will do it,” Abbas claimed.
Abbas added that the process of installing jammers inside the prisons will be completed in six months. “Once jammers are installed, mobile phone signals will be jammed and prisoners will not be able to use their devices,” he concluded.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 9th, 2012.