Peshawar's inmates suffer as Mardan prison still incomplete

PESHAWAR:

Almost a year has gone by since the provincial government announced it would open a new high-security central prison in the city of Mardan. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s fifth and what was supposed to be its most heavily-guarded central lock-up was meant to start functioning in September last year. Officials say the prison is almost complete but has not been handed over to prison authorities.

During the ANP government, it was decided to construct a central prison in Mardan. When the government changed in 2013, it made plans to make a high-security lock-up but instead of constructing it from scratch, it was decided to repurpose Central Prison Mardan.

Holed up in Peshawar

Once this prison would be up and running, it would serve a dual purpose – reduce the burden on the overcrowded Central Prison Peshawar and keep hardened militants from breaking out. With no word on when the Mardan prison will be ready for use, as many as 2,200 inmates are living in inhumane conditions at the facility in Peshawar.

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With so many inmates, Central Prison Peshawar is going through painful repairs, in phases.

Talking to The Express Tribune, a jail official said it will take another 24 months to reconstruct Peshawar Central Prison.

He said jail authorities have not been handed control of the new facility in Mardan as yet. “Once we take charge, we will shift Peshawar’s inmates to Mardan.” The Peshawar jail official said, “Once all inmates are moved out, reconstruction of the entire complex will be carried out at once and not in phases.”

The facility in Mardan is said to be one of the most secure prisons in the country—once its reinforced gates open to gen pop—it is designed to avert organised jailbreaks like those that took place in Bannu and DI Khan.

Read: From bad to worse: Reconstruction crowds already congested Peshawar jail

Rs3.5 billion have been allocated for the home sector in the 2015-16 budget. The sector is divided into three areas – home and tribal affairs, police and prison infrastructure.

The prison department’s portfolio comprises construction and rehabilitation projects, solar power, water filtration plants and enhancement of jail security.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2015.