Several prison officers including former deputy superintendent Muhammad Akram, Assistant Superintendent Riaz Khan, and two wardens of Adiala Jail have been dismissed from their positions following their involvement in the death of a prisoner in the psychiatric ward seven months ago.
The officers were found guilty in a departmental inquiry conducted on the orders of the IG Prisons, Punjab. The inquiry was initiated after the tragic incident on February 29, in which a prisoner was killed in the cell for mentally ill inmates. A total of seven jail employees were implicated in the case, four of whom have now been dismissed.
According to a notification issued by Punjab’s Interior Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal, the former Deputy Superintendent of Central Jail Adiala, Muhammad Akram, and Assistant Superintendent Riaz Khan were dismissed in light of the inquiry findings.
The officers had earlier been served show-cause notices on August 30 and were asked to respond. Despite being given the opportunity for a personal hearing, the Deputy Superintendent failed to attend.
In addition to the dismissals, night-duty officer Assistant Superintendent Mahmood Al Hasan has been sentenced to two years, while Head Warder Wajid Mahmood received a one-year sentence. Barrack in-charge Warder Nasir Mehmood and Warder Amir Abbas were also removed from their posts as a result of the inquiry’s findings.
