Following an agreement between the Department of Jails and The Bank of Punjab (BoP), prisoners in Punjab are now able to open personal bank accounts.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the project was signed by the BoP President, Zafar Masood, and the Inspector-General (IG) Prisons, Mirza Shahid Saleem.
Prisoners are now able to open accounts with the BoP. Additionally, the change comprises enabling EasyPaisa and JazzCash for family members to donate money to them.
According to reports, prisoners will be able to keep track of their accounts while being transferred between facilities and even after being freed.
According to IG Saleem, the internet banking system will help to eliminate any potential corruption in the system.
Col. (retd.) Muhammad Hashim Dogar, the provincial minister for home and prisons, earlier this week announced the implementation of vocational training as another step toward improving the welfare of convicts in the province.
He said the ministry is working to give offenders access to the best vocational training facilities so they can live better lives after being released from prison while presiding over a meeting of the Jails Reforms Committee.
The meeting was held to discuss the growing number of prisoners, as well as various proposals for the provision of basic facilities such as food, health care, entertainment, and shelter, in compliance with international standards.
Minister Dogar mentioned that Punjab has over 50,000 prisoners and assured that he would prioritize addressing all their problems.
