‘Parole and probation laws being updated’

LAHORE:Provincial Minister for Law and Cooperatives Raja Basharat has said that the centuries-old laws of parole and probation are being updated and brought in line with the existing requirements as influential criminals take unfair advantage due to flaws in the old laws.

He was presiding over a consultative meeting in this regard at the Civil Secretariat under his chairmanship on Friday. The meeting reviewed the proposed amendments to the laws related to parole and probation. MPA Saeed Akbar Niwani, Special Secretary Home and officers concerned were also present.

The meeting decided to make a law by combining the Parole Act 1926 and the Probation Act 1960. Raja Basharat directed the Home Department to tighten the conditions of release on parole and probation in the new law. He said that after final review, the draft amendments would be submitted to the Punjab Assembly for approval.

Saeed Akbar Niwani said that instead of placing the burden on the people by creating new departments and posts, the focus should be made on strengthening the existing laws and institutions.

Earlier, it was informed in the departmental briefing that as till February 2021, 694 prisoners released on parole in the province, most of them had been convicted under Section 302. Several new amendments were also suggested in the briefing.

schemes approved: The Punjab Provincial Development Working Party approved three development schemes of Public Building and Local Government Sectors at an estimated cost of Rs994.574 million.

These schemes were approved in the 32nd meeting of Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) of current fiscal year 2020-21.

Provincial Secretary P&D Imran Sikandar Baloch, all Members of the Planning & Development Board, Provincial Secretaries of concerned departments, Senior Chief (Coord), Assistant Chief Coordination and other senior representatives of the relevant Provincial Departments also attended the meeting.

The approved development schemes included as Construction of Residences for Judicial Officers at Faisalabad Headquarters at the cost of Rs706.761 million, Audit & Finance Consultant (Firm) for Punjab Intermediate Cities Improvement Investment Programme (PICIIP) (PC-II) at the cost of Rs39.449 million and Urban Mobility (Preparation of Land Use Plan, Urban Mobility Plan and Solid Waste Management Plan) Design and Supervision Consultant (Firm) for (PICIIP) (PC-II) at the cost of Rs248.364 million.