KP government to provide bank accounts to prisoners
In a major development, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)
government has taken the initiative to open bank accounts for prisoners held in
jails across the province.
According to the Welfare Fund Rules 2023 released by the KP
home ministry, prisoners will now have personal bank accounts to support
themselves and their families.
Majority
of Pakistanis have no bank accounts: Survey
Discussions are currently in progress with the Bank of
Khyber (BoK) for the establishment of these accounts, as mentioned in the
official statement.
As per the announcement by the KP government, 10% of the
income earned by the prisoners will be allocated to the government, 30% to the
prisoners themselves, and the remaining 60% to the Welfare Fund.
Bank
accounts mandatory for Hajj applicants
The prisoners will also be permitted to engage in various
activities such as carpet making, furniture production, operating public call
offices (PCOs), and managing canteens.
Earlier, Wafaqi Mohtasib Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi emphasized the
importance of all stakeholders in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)
working together to improve the living conditions of prisoners in jails,
especially focusing on the well-being of children, women, and
destitute/resourceless prisoners. He chaired a meeting on Prison Reforms to
review and oversee the implementation of recommendations outlined in the Report
on Prisons.
Source: ARY News