ISLAMABAD - Federal Ombudsman Syed Tahir Shahbaz has asked the Sindh government to make effective coordination among all departments for parole and probation system. 
He expressed these views while chairing a high-level meeting along with Chief Secretary Sindh Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah to review the progress and implementation status of the recommendations of Prisons Reforms Committee as entrusted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. 
The Federal Ombudsman said that biometric identification system be integrated with all departments of criminal administrative justice system with a common interface. He also said that probation and parole system should be made more effective by making effective coordination.  
The IG Prisons Sindh gave a detailed briefing through a presentation and said that process of parole system was stopped in 2013 due to serious observations of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He said that burden of overcrowding in jails would be eased by construction of three new jails in the current financial year in Sindh. Moreover, the Sindh government has allocated Rs1010 million for construction of new jails in Tharparker, Mithi, Umarkot, Kashmore and Kandkot. 
He said that Sindh Prisons and Correctional Service has successfully started Prisons Management Information System which will monitor and verify the prisoners’ identity through Biometric Identification System, which has also been linked with Police and NADRA and it would be officially inaugurated on November 02.  
During the meeting progress of the provincial, District Oversight Committees (DOC) and welfare committees to improve life of prisoners, especially children, women and destitute prisoners was discussed decisively with all stakeholders of province. The IG Prisons said that juveniles and women prisoners have already been segregated, prisoners voluntary donations fund and free legal aid committee has been established and working with full spirit.
He said that 916 patients of viral diseases including Hepatitis B, V & HIV have been screened. He said that at present 19,710 prisoners are in 24 jails of Sindh, 1369 of the prisoners were provided free legal aid with the help of different legal aid forums.        
Syed Tahir Shahbaz asked the provincial government for integration of Prisoners Biometric Identification System with the concerned departments including police, prisons, prosecution and NADRA and development of common interface for the prisoners throughout the chain from jails to courts within the shortest possible time. He also said that all prisoners be vaccinated against corona disease.
The meeting was attended by the IG Prisons Sindh, Special Secretary Home Department, Secretaries Law, S&GAD and Secretary Wafaqi Mohtasib Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Senior Advisor  Ejaz A Qureshi, Senior Adviser/Incharge RO Karachi Anwaar Haider and other stakeholders.