PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP) government has sanctioned Rs198.200 million for enhancing the security of jails to counter militants’ threat in the wake of intelligence reports.

This amount will be used for extra deployment of troops and equipping the force with latest gadgets.

Meanwhile the Punjab government has decided to deploy Rangers at at least seven jails of the province which are facing threats from militants and extremist elements.

A Home and Tribal Affairs Department official letter issued by Section Officer Anti Narcotics, Foreigners and Media Qamar Ali on August 2 said: “The government of Khyber Pakthunkhwa Home & Tribal Affairs Department has sanctioned and released an amount of Rs198.200 million for enhancing security of jails in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

Following the Dera Ismail Khan Jail break on July 29, the intelligence agencies have issued warning of similar attacks on other jails, especially the Haripur Jail which also has a number of high value prisoners.

The KP government has also sanctioned and released an amount of Rs50 million for strengthening Directorate of Prosecution and Provincial Crisis Management Cell (PMDC) of the Home and Tribal Affairs Department

One the other hand in the wake of Dera Ismail Khan Jail break and threat to Punjab jails, the Jail Authorities and Rangers have revised the jails security and devised a plan to jointly take care of security in at least seven sensitive jails of the province where hardcore elements are jailed.

Director General Rangers Major General Bilal Hussain, while speaking to the media at the Rangers Headquarters after a meeting with IG Jails Punjab Mian Farooq Nazir, said that a viable security plan has been devised for strengthening Jails security, which also includes the capacity building and training of forces.

He said that the plan would be put in place after carrying out the feasibility of the jails and Rangers would be deployed at sensitive jails.

He remarked that at least 5 to 7 jails in Punjab are sensitive where fool proof security arrangements would be made to avert any mishap.

According to official data there are hundreds of hardcore extremist elements and terrorists in Punjab jails, where there could be a possible militant attack to set free these people.

Inspector General Jails Mian Farooq said that serious threat alerts have been issued for jails and all possible measures are being taken to counter those threats.

He said that the latest jammers will be installed in jails to counter the use of mobile phones and electronic equipment, while existing equipment would also be upgraded.