Sindh Govt.'s Rs 1.5 billion high-security prison project yet to take off

Sindh Government's Rs1.5 billion project to build a high-security prison for those convicted or being tried in high-profile terrorism cases has still not been started due to the delay in transfer of the land acquired for it to the prisons department.

The high-security prison was to be built to keep terrorism suspects and convicts, who are currently, kept in separate enclosures in general prisons.

An official cited the departmental red tape to be the reason for the delay in transfer of the land to the prison authorities.

"The government lands have been reserved for new prisons in Jamshoro and four other districts under the directives of the Sindh chief minister but the same has not been transferred or allotted to the jail department by the land utilisation department despite repeated requests," the Dawn quoted a recent communication sent by the prison officials to the competent authority.

The plan to build a high-security detention facility was made after a jailbreak plot was foiled in Karachi two years ago.

The provincial government had promised to complete the project soon with heavy funding but has not even settled the land issue so far.