Provincial Minister for Minorities & Human Rights Khalil Tahir Sandhu has said that even prisoners have full right to enjoy the celebrations of Christmas as they are an important part of society and can play a pivotal role in the progress of the country after their reform by the training programs and other initiatives launched by Punjab government for the betterment of prisons in Punjab.
He stated this in a ceremony in connection with the celebrations of Christmas at Central Jail Kot Lakhpat where he distributed Christmas gifts, clothes and sweets in the male and female Christian prisoners as well as cut the Christmas cake with them. Inspector General Prisons Mian Farooq Nazir, MPA Shahzad Munshi, Deputy IG Prisons Malik Mubashar Ahmed Khan, Superintendent Jail Ijaz Asghar, Christian prisoners, jail staff and media-men were also present at this occasion. Khalil Tahir Sandhu said that Christmas provides the opportunity of happiness and compassion for all the human beings without any discrimination of cast and creed and we should hate the crime and not those who have committed the crimes. He said that Punjab government has initiated reform based different training programs for the prisoners along with provision of facilities for them throughout the province. He said that he will request the Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif for the decrease in the imprisonment of Christian prisoners on the occasion of Christmas. He further said that he will manage for the release of prisoners with petty crimes by the payment of their fines with the help of philanthropists. Inspector General Prisons Mian Farooq Nazir said that according to the vision of Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, the Punjab Prison Department has taken concrete steps for the reform of Provincial Prisons, enhancing the medical facilities, installation of filtration plants and PCOs, computerization of data of the prisoners, betterment of food menu and ensuring hearing of cases at the earliest possible time. Deputy IG Prisons Malik Mubashar Ahmed Khan and Superintendent Jail Ijaz Asghar also addressed at this occasion. The Minister Minorities Khalil Tahir Sandhu visited different sections of the prison and lauded the efforts of the jail administration for provision of better facilities to the prisoners particularly vocational training being given to the female prisoners in the jail premises.