ISLAMABAD: In Pakistan’s largest province with respect to population size, the government has announced new regulations for prisoners.
The Punjab Home Department has introduced new regulations for prisoners to use PCO (Public Call Office) phone services in jails, following instructions from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, according to Express Tribune.
Audio, video call facility
According to a statement from the Punjab Home Department spokesperson, prisoners will now have the facility to make audio and video calls to their relatives, lawyers, and family members.
The PCO service will be available from Monday to Saturday, between 8am and 5pm. The jail superintendent will issue a weekly schedule for prisoners to access the service.
Each prisoner can register up to five phone numbers for contact purposes, but only close relatives, spouses, and legal representatives will be allowed to make contact.
Upon request, the system operator will confirm the prisoner’s details with the jail superintendent before granting PCO access.
Exception to the rules
All prisoners, except those convicted for terrorism or anti-state activities, will be allowed to use the PCO service.
According to the rules, prisoners can use the PCO for 60 to 80 minutes a week.
The relevant barrack in-charge will verify the PCO usage, and the amount will be deducted from the prisoner’s Pre-Prison Management Information System (PPMS) account.
The statement further mentioned that prisoners under 18 and indigent prisoners will be provided the PCO service free of charge. In case of security threats or a prisoner is involved in crimes within the jail, the superintendent may suspend PCO privileges, subject to review by the relevant DIG within three days.
In addition, prisoners involved in crimes will be placed in punishment blocks, and their PCO access will be temporarily suspended. Prisoners are prohibited from making conference calls.
The assistant jail superintendent may disconnect any call if inappropriate or objectionable conversation is detected.
The Home Department added that if prisoners engage in objectionable, anti-national, or inappropriate discussions, their PCO privileges may be temporarily suspended.
The jail superintendent can suspend access for up to a month, and the DIG regional will have the authority to extend this suspension.
A prisoner may file a complaint at the IG Jail Complaints Cell using the PCO booth at no charge. Female, juvenile, and death-row prisoners will have their own PCO booth in their barracks.
Call records
All call records will be retained for at least one month, and each prisoner will be allowed only one PCO account.
Violations of the rules will result in action against the relevant authorities.
The statement also noted that the jail superintendent will submit a monthly computerised financial report regarding the PCO system to the Prison Foundation.
The Secretary of the Punjab Home Department has instructed strict enforcement of these newly issued rules.
