IG Punjab Prisons Salik Jalal pays surprise visit to Lahore District Jail, suspends officials during inspection

LAHORE -- Inspector General of Prisons Punjab Mian Salik Jalal conducted a surprise inspection of District Jail Lahore on Wednesday evening to review the prison's overall security, administrative affairs, inmate welfare, staff accommodation and welfare facilities, and day-to-day management.

During the visit, the Inspector General carried out a detailed inspection of the prison's external and internal security arrangements, the warders' mess, inmates' kitchen, various barracks, the jail hospital, the visitors' waiting area, and other key facilities.

The prison's external security arrangements were found to be generally satisfactory, with security personnel at various checkpoints performing their duties diligently and professionally.

However, the inspection revealed serious shortcomings in cleanliness, management, food quality and basic facilities at the warders' mess. Expressing strong displeasure, the Inspector General ordered immediate corrective measures.

He also ordered the immediate suspension of the Lines Officer, Assistant Superintendent Imdad Hussain, and Warders' Mess In-charge Sajid Ali for poor administrative supervision and negligence in the discharge of their responsibilities.

During his visit to various barracks, Mian Salik Jalal met inmates personally and sought feedback on the quality of food, medical care, educational opportunities, religious activities, access to clean drinking water and other essential facilities.

At the jail hospital, the medical staff were found present on duty, while cleanliness, discipline and healthcare services were declared satisfactory. However, the jail administration was instructed to install additional chilled water dispensers in Barracks 3 and 4 without delay to ensure inmates have an adequate supply of filtered cold drinking water during the summer.

While inspecting the inmates' kitchen, the Inspector General found that the prepared food did not meet the required standards. Consequently, he ordered the suspension of inmate kitchen in-charge Warder Jamshed, while directing that a show-cause notice be issued to the concerned Assistant Superintendent of the jail to determine responsibility and ensure effective accountability.

During a meeting with the families of released prisoners at the waiting area, visitors expressed overall satisfaction with the available facilities but complained about delays in the release process. In response, the Inspector General directed the Jail Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent (Judicial) to streamline and expedite all release procedures, making them more transparent and efficient to prevent unnecessary delays and inconvenience for the public.

Concluding the visit, Mian Salik Jalal emphasised that providing prison staff and inmates with quality food, a clean environment, decent accommodation and essential facilities remains the Punjab Prisons Department's top priority.

He instructed prison authorities to immediately improve the quality of food served to both warders and inmates, maintain high standards of cleanliness, further strengthen healthcare services, and ensure transparency and accountability in all administrative affairs.

Reaffirming the department's commitment, the Inspector General said there would be no compromise on security, discipline, transparency, prisoner rehabilitation, protection of human dignity, or the welfare of prison staff across Punjab's prisons.

He added that surprise inspections would continue without interruption, and strict departmental action would be taken against any officer or official found guilty of negligence, mismanagement or compromising established standards.

The Inspector General also directed all prison superintendents across Punjab to personally monitor the quality of food, accommodation, sanitation, medical care and other welfare arrangements for both prison staff and inmates, warning that any negligence, carelessness or substandard management in these areas would not be tolerated.