Inspector General of Police (IGP) Prisons Farooq Nazeer visited the Punjab University on Thursday and met Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood at his office. Director Institute of Applied Psychology Prof Dr Rafia Rafique, Director Institute of Information Management Dr Nosheen Fatima Warraich, Chairperson Department of Social Work Prof Dr Uzman Ashiq and others were also present.
The IGP Prisons said they had brought various reforms in Punjab jails and were also taking steps for mental health and counseling of the accused and convicts. He said that psychology students would be offered internships in the cells of Punjab for their capacity building.
He said it was necessary to take care of mental health of the persons released on parole. He said many of the accused had suicidal tendencies for which counseling was necessary. He said an endowment fund of Rs. 2 billion was being established to reduce the financial difficulties of families of prisoners. He said they wanted to streamline the system of libraries in prisons because there was a tendency to read books in jails. He said that he had also requested the authorities concerned to hire assistant librarians in jails of Punjab. VC Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood appreciated the measures taken by the IG Prisons for mental health of prisoners. He said the PU would continue to cooperate with all institutions of Pakistan.
