LAHORE - The Punjab Prisons Department on Monday issued transfer and posting orders of seven jail superintendents and deputy superintendents.
Naveed Ashraf, superintendent, Mandi Bahauddin District Jail, was transferred and posted as Camp Jail Lahore superintendent while Camp Jail Superintendent Ijaz Asghar was directed to report to the IG Prisons office. Muhammad Akram Pathan, sub-jail Chakwal superintendent, was transferred and posted as Mandi Bahauddin superintendent. Umar Hayat Gondal, deputy superintendent (judicial) Attock, was transferred and posted as Chakwal sub-jail deputy superintendent. Asim Hameed, assistant superintendent, Borstal Jail Bahawalpur, was transferred and posted as deputy superintendent (judicial and development) Attock. Abdus Saboor Sukhera, superintendent, District Jail Rajanpur, was transferred and posted as Vihari superintendent jail. Anbar Naqvi, deputy superintendent, District Jail Gujrat, was transferred and posted as deputy superintendent, Women Jail Multan.
Meanwhile, sources claimed there were complaints of corruption against the outgoing Camp Jail Superintendent Ijaz Asghar. An unprecedented incident took place during Ijaz Asghar’s posting as the Camp Jail superintendent when four jail officials were suspended after they allegedly took bribes from Punjab Prisons Minister Chaudhry Abdul Waheed Arain, who visited the jail under the guise of a common visitor, for arranging his meeting with a prisoner.
Some circles of the prison were of the view that Ijaz Asghar was actually responsible for that happening, but he was not punished and some junior officers were made scapegoats. The sources claimed the prisons minister recommended his transfer and punishment as he had been exonerated using his political connections.
The minister also ordered issuance of a show-cause notice to the jail superintendent, but no action was taken against him. The sources claimed there was political pressure on the prisons management to withdraw transfer orders of Ijaz Asghar, but the authorities concerned remained firm on the decision.