QUETTA: Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti said on Saturday that cell phone jammers purchased by the previous government for jails were of poor quality and that they were not working now.

An inquiry would be conducted into the matter, the minister added.

He said the previous provincial government installed these cell phone jammers in jails after receiving information that some prisoners were running criminal gangs.

During search operations in Machh, Quetta and Khuzdar jails, a number of cell phones and other equipment were seized from the prisoners.

Mr Bugti, who was inducted into the provincial cabinet last week, said he had been informed by officials concerned that cell phone jammers in jails were not functional now because they were of bad quality.The minister said he had ordered an inquiry into the matter and warned that strict action would be taken against officials found involved in purchasing of the sub-standard jammers.

He said the government would ensure complete security in all jails of the province and in this regard the home department had already taken some measures.

He said five jails of the province — Central Jail Machh and districts jails of Quetta, Khuzdar, Gadani and Kalat — had declared sensitive and that special security arrangements had been made to meet any untoward situation.

He said jail authorities had been asked to keep vigilant eye on activities of prisoners involved in heinous crimes. Strict directives have been issued against the use of cell phones by inmates.

Meanwhile, it has been learnt that majority of walk-through gates in the Civil Secretariat are out of order.

According to a source, an official of the Balochistan government has taken notice of the non-functional walk-through gates and asked officials concerned to replace them.