(Naveed Raza)
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif is expected to inaugurate the newly built Islamabad Model Jail in Sector H-16 between October 8 and 10. The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration has reportedly taken control of the facility. The development will add a new detention facility to Islamabad.
The jail is being opened at a time when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is preparing for a planned long march. Islamabad authorities are also making arrangements for a possible large number of protesters.
The new jail could help authorities handle detainees within the federal capital. It could also reduce the need to send prisoners to jails in neighbouring Punjab.
Why is the H-16 jail important?
The jail is located near major roads, including the M-1 and M-2 motorways and the GT Road.
This location gives law-enforcement agencies easier access to the facility from major entry points of Islamabad.
How many detainees can the jail hold?
Prepared barracks at the facility can reportedly accommodate around 1,500 to 2,000 detainees.
This capacity could be important during large political gatherings. Authorities could register and identify detainees at one location. They could also provide medical checks and temporary accommodation there.
The facility reportedly also has courtroom spaces and medical facilities.
These facilities could reduce the need to move detainees between police stations, hospitals, courts and jails.
What facilities does the new jail have?
The facility reportedly includes separate VVIP and high-security areas. The completion of double-storey annexes would allow authorities to keep sensitive or prominent detainees away from ordinary prisoners.
What could happen during the PTI march?
The opening of the H-16 jail could change how authorities handle large-scale arrests in Islamabad.
In the past, mass arrests created a challenge because authorities had to find space for detainees and arrange their transport to existing facilities.
The new jail has a reported capacity of up to 2,000 detainees. This would give authorities more detention space within Islamabad.
However, its actual use during the PTI march would depend on the number of arrests, court orders, security assessments and the administration’s policy for handling the protest, report says.
How much did the project cost?
The total cost of the project is Rs7.2 billion. The project was started more than 24 years ago.
The expected inauguration between October 8 and 10 would mark the formal opening of the long-delayed facility.
