Jail colonies: Barring senior officers from keeping 'milch animals' stirs controversy

LAHORE: A recently issued notification by Punjab Inspector General of Prisons, Mirza Shahid Saleem Baig barring the senior jail officers from keeping 'milch animals' in jail colonies has not only left the entire senior command red-faced but also stirred a controversy about the legality of such an order which is in contrast to notified rules and regulations by the government.

A well-placed source in the Punjab Prisons told Business Recorder that the IG Prisons on the purported direction of Punjab Chief Minister, Usman Buzdar issued a notification a few days ago directing the senior officers to remove all the milch animals from jail colonies with immediate effect.

According to the notification, a copy of which is available with Business Recorder, the IG prisons directed to clear jail colonies from buffalos/cows kept by the jail officers and furnish a certificate that no buffalos/cows are in jail colonies.

Directing the jail superintendents to call back the jail officials from the residences of retired or serving senior officers, the IG disclosed that CM Punjab Usman Buzdar has also assigned the task to Punjab police's Special Branch to verify the deployment of jail officials at officers' residences in the light of certificates submitted by the superintendents in this regard.

According to Rule 869 of the Punjab Prisons Rules 1978, the superintendents, deputy superintendents and assistant superintendents of jails are permitted to keep milch animals with their calves or a horse in lieu of one of the milch animals. However, no other officer or official was entitled to this facility under the rules.

"Such an (illegal) order by the IG is not only surprising for us but it is also embarrassing for the force as it highlights the level of ignorance of the commandant in official matters," the source was quoted as having said. "Officers in many jails are angry over the IG's illegal order," he said, adding that keeping milch animals was allowed by the government to jail officers so that they could manage their and their family's "healthy living" without mingling in public due to security reasons.

On the other hand, there were some officers who were of the opinion that the IG's initiative of vacating jail colonies from animals was 'good' as it will help the authorities to get more space in prisons and manage the longstanding issue of overcrowded jails, putting the lives of inmates of contracting lethal diseases and Covid-19.

Multiple attempts via calls and messages were made to contact IG Prisons, Mirza Shahid Saleem Baig but he was not available for comments. However, Waris Ali Shahzad, Personal Assistant to the IG, failed to give any answer to queries put forth by this scribe and he subsequently hang-up the call.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021