‘Psychology students to be offered internships in jails’

LAHORE: Inspector General of Prisons Farooq Nazeer visited Punjab University and called on Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood at his office.

On this occasion, 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 Usman Ashiq and others were present. Farooq Nazeer said that they had brought various reforms in Punjab jails and were also taking steps for the mental health and counselling of accused and criminals. He said that psychology students would be offered internships in the cells of Punjab for their capacity building. It is necessary to take care of the mental health of the persons released on parole, he said, adding many of the accused have suicidal tendencies for which counselling was necessary. He said that an endowment fund of Rs2 billion was being established to reduce the financial difficulties of the families of the prisoners. He said that they want to streamline the system of libraries in prisons because there was a tendency of book reading in jails. He said that he has also requested the authorities concerned to hire Assistant Librarians in the jails of Punjab. Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood appreciated the measures taken by the IG Prisons for the mental health of the prisoners.

PU Radio anniversary celebrated

Punjab University Radio Centre FM 104.6’s 22nd anniversary was celebrated in the School of Communication Studies (SCS). On this occasion, Director SCS Prof Dr Nosheena Saleem, In-charge PU FM Radio Centre Dr Akram Soomro, Programme Manager PU FM Radio Centre Irshad Chaudhry, faculty members and students were present. Dr Akram Soomro said that PU Radio Centre was a lab that nurtures students to work in practical media. He said that radio has always been the voice of the weak, which needed to be improved. Later, the radio’s 22nd anniversary cake was cut.