LAHORE:Punjab has taken another significant step towards modernising its probation, parole and prison systems.
Twenty officers from the Punjab Probation and Parole Service and the Prisons Department will visit the United States for a two-week training programme.
The officers selected for the training met Secretary Home Punjab Dr. Ahmad Javed Qazi at the Punjab Home Department and briefed him on preparations for the training programme in the United States.
Special Secretary Home Zainab Khan, Inspector General of Prisons Mian Salik Jalal, former Director General Probation and Parole Shahid Iqbal, Senior Prison Psychologist Saadia Zafar and other relevant officials attended the meeting. During the briefing, it was explained that the Training of Trainers (ToT) programme would be held in the US state of Virginia in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Corrections.
The programme is being conducted with the support of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), US Department of State, and will entail no financial burden on the Government of Punjab.
The training visit to the United States will take place from October 24 to November 8. Officials informed the meeting that this is the second delegation of probation and parole officers from Punjab to visit the United States for advanced training this year.
During the programme, the officers will study electronic monitoring, GPS-based supervision and technology-driven offender management systems. They will also receive specialised training in the supervision of high-risk offenders and individuals associated with gangs.
The programme will emphasise the core philosophy of ‘Rehabilitate, Reform and Reintegrate’ and familiarise the officers with modern, evidence-based approaches to probation and parole supervision.
The briefing further noted that the leadership of the Virginia Department of Corrections had previously appreciated Punjab’s progressive, reform-oriented model.
Speaking to the officers, Secretary Home Punjab Dr. Ahmad Javed Qazi said that the probation, parole and prison systems in Punjab were being aligned with international standards.
He said the training programme would contribute to the effective management of high-risk offenders and strengthen counterterrorism efforts in Punjab. The Secretary Home said that the officers travelling to the United States would not merely be trainees but also ambassadors of Pakistan, representing the country through their hard work and professional capabilities.
Dr. Ahmad Javed Qazi stated that all officers were being provided with preliminary training before their departure for the United States. He added that the officers completing the training would be assigned supervisory responsibilities in different districts.
He further said that the training visit would help improve the effectiveness of the Offender Management Information System (OMIS) of the Punjab Probation and Parole Service.