Sahiwal District - Sahiwal District Jail

Sahiwal District Jail

The Sahiwal jail was constructed in 1873 in Montgomery in the Punjab Province of then British India which is now called Sahiwal and which is part of the Punjab province in Pakistan. It was depicted in one of the famous Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV Drama) Jangloos.

The jail’s authorized accommodation is 1565, however, at present around 4500 prisoners (number varies almost on a daily basis) of three districts i.e. Sahiwal, Okara and Pakpattan are confined in this prison.

A rough break-down of the prison population to give an idea to the reader is given below:

Undertrial Prisoners 2768 CT Prisoners 849 CP Prisoners 538 Juvenile Prisoners 57 Female Prisoners 37

Total population 4249

Historically, this prison was famous by the name of Montgomery Jail.

Before and after independence, a numbers of politicians, poet, and social activists had remained confined in this prison, including Abu-ul-Kalam, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan, Agha Shorash Kashmeeri, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Habib Jalab, and Maulana Zafar Ali Khan.

Maulana Zafar Ali Khan remained confined in Montgomery Prison for 5 years. His famous poems Book namely “Jasyat” is in the memory of Montgomery Prison’s memory.

While in prison, Faiz Ahmad Faiz wrote “Zindan Nama”.

To fulfill the requirements of the inmates and made them useful citizen after their release, a Literacy Center has been established. About 1000 inmates are using this Center. Jail warders and convicts having minimum qualification Fellow of Arts (12th grade) have been deputed teachers in these Literacy Centers.

A computer center has been established for the juvenile prisoners.

The jail also has a farm where vegetables and fodder is grown.

The prison also has a factory where carpets, duree, woolen blankets and jute tatts are made.

A new high security jail is under construction next to the central jail.