ISLAMABAD; Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Tuesday that prisoners from Islamabad would be transferred to the new model jail in the capital, which is awaiting inauguration by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Speaking to the media at the newly built Islamabad Model Jail in H-16, Naqvi, accompanied by State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry, said the jail project was complete and the prime minister would inaugurate it within “two to four days”.
He said around 1,500 prisoners from Islamabad would be transferred to the new facility.
Naqvi said Adiala Jail held 3,300 prisoners from Islamabad, of whom 1,500 would be transferred to the new prison. He said that when the second phase of the Model Jail was completed, the remaining prisoners would also be transferred there.
The minister credited State Minister Talal Chaudhry and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman and his team for the early completion of the jail project.
He said the project was launched in 2009 and construction began in 2016. In 2024, the project was abandoned, with only 40 to 50 per cent completed. He said the project had now been completed through the efforts of the state minister and the CDA.
The minister also visited various sections of the jail, including the 35-bed hospital and kitchen.
The jail project faced prolonged delays. It was initiated by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration with funding from the federal government. The ICT administration and the government had authorised the now-defunct Public Works Department (PWD) to execute the project. However, work either stalled or progressed slowly.
In 2024, the project was handed over to the CDA for execution, and the authority completed the first phase on an accelerated basis.
The first-phase project was completed at a cost of around Rs7 billion, including funds spent by the PWD. In 2016, the project was estimated to cost Rs3.9 billion, with a completion deadline of 2019.
Meanwhile, the interior minister visited the Kashmir Chowk underpass and reviewed the progress of ongoing construction work. The project was launched 17 days ago.
“The interior minister expressed satisfaction over the pace of construction and appreciated the progress achieved so far,” a statement issued by the Interior Ministry said.
The minister said that if construction continued at the current pace, the project could be completed in less than 30 days.
CDA officials said work was progressing at full pace and could be completed before November 5. They said physical progress had reached around 75 per cent after 18 days.
The prime minister laid the foundation stone for the Rs1.4 billion project on October 6. - The Dawn/ANN
