Pubdate: Wed, 30 Nov 2005 Source: Daily Times (Pakistan) Copyright: 2005 Daily Times Contact: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2893 Author: Aayan Ali DRUG 'BUSINESS' IN JAILS CANNOT BE STOPPED: IG * Says Very Few Officials Involved In Drug Trafficking * 'convict Officers' Still Working For Jail Administrations LAHORE: Drug supply to criminals in jails can be checked, but not eliminated, Prisons Inspector General Sarfraz Ahmad Mufti told Daily Times on Tuesday. The IG said drug addicts and peddlers were kept in separate cells, but despite stringent measures they manage to bring to jails the drugs they get from their accomplices, friends or relatives when they go for court hearings and share these drugs with other inmates. To a question about the involvement of lower jail staff in the drug selling, the IG said very few were involved in the malpractice and such officials were dismissed immediately and cases were registered against them. Police take prisoners to courts for hearings and clear them after a 'thorough search', while the jail staff also accepts them after a complete search, but they don't seem to 'find' drugs on them. Jail sources said that lower cadre jail staffers offered 'services' to prisoners. A prisoner released from Kot Lakhpat Jail a few months ago said, "If a person has money it is much easier to get drugs in jail than in the open". Prohibited articles like steel cutters, hooks, ropes, scissors and glass items have been seized from prisoners during a special search by DIGs of all regions in recent months. The IG said that stern action would be taken against the jail staff if the prohibited articles were seized from prisoners in future. To a question about security risks in jails, Mufti said that in the past jail gates were opened for visitors without their identification, walkthrough gates were closed at night, officials on night duty were absent, control rooms were not functioning properly, wireless communication systems were not working, close circuit television (CCTV) monitors were installed at offices rather than at control rooms, emergency lights were not working and fire fighting equipment/gas cylinders had expired. He added that jail registers were not being maintained, wardens were absent from duty and lighting arrangements were inadequate. But these issues had been taken care of, the IG said. In the past, jail administrations used to chose 'convict officers (COs)' from prisoners to keep an eye on other prisoners. The COs were considered government servants under the now defunct Pakistan Prisons Rules. The system collapsed many years ago after reports of cruelty by COs, but the practice still prevails in Punjab jails unofficially. It has been learnt that jail officials select prisoners for spying on their inmates and give them privileges in return. Sarfraz Mufti said that complaints were received in this regard, but now this practice had been eliminated. Although the IG has told jail staff to treat prisoners humanely, when they inspect prisoners for entry to jails they tell them to take off their shoes and sit on the ground. Prison administrations said that law offenders should not be asked to sit because they laugh at the staff standing beside them. Field officers were not punctual and the practice was causing inconvenience to people who came for queries or to see their relatives in jail. Sarfraz Mufti said that now all senior and junior staff were coming to office on time. - --- MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPF Florida)