PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would be setting up Pakistan’s first high security prison having three-layered security besides establishing high security zones in six sensitive jails of the northwestern province housing more than 1,000 terrorists and high profile prisoners like Dr Shakil Afridi.
The authorities have also announced to form a special prison force which would guard the province’s sensitive jails while a plan has also been initiated to establish a separate prison for Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) to keep tribal prisoners as well as a women jail for female folk.
Advisor to the Chief Minister on Jails Malik Qasim Khan, speaking to the media, said that the prison force of 850 personnel, equipped with latest gadgets and equipment, would be responsible for jail security.
To a query about shifting alleged CIA operator Dr Shakil Afridi, he said that KP has approached the federal government as Dr Afridi was convicted in a federal crime, adding that so far Islamabad has not responded to the request.
Inspector General of KP Prisons Kifayatullah Khan, speaking on the occasion, said they are waiting for the federal government’s directives on Dr Shakil Afridi’s issue.
He said that the KP jails were holding more than 100 militants who were charged under anti terrorist act and the government was planning to set up high security zones in the jails to keep them separate from other prisoners.
The IG prisons said that the province would have the country’s first high security prison with central lock system and three layers of security. Special cells would also be set up to keep the high profile prisoners charged with terrorism, he added.
Kifayatullah Khan said that high security zones are being set up at six sensitive jails in Mardan, Timergara, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat and Karak where the hardcore militants would be kept separately from the others.
To another query, Khan said that a separate prison has been proposed for Fata where prisoners charged for any offense in the tribal areas would be kept.
He said the prisons force with initial strength of 850 would have their own APCs, jammers and sophisticated weapons and would be self reliant to meet any emergency situation.
The IG prisons also announced to set up a separate jail for women prisoners, where they would be provided with vocational and other skill development training.