History

The Punjab Prisons Department was established in 1854 for Custody, Care and Control of prisoners confined in various central, district and special jails in the province of Punjab. Dr. C. Hathaway was appointed as first Inspector General (IG) of Prisons. The Prisons Act of 1894 (Act No. IX of 1894) was passed by the Governor-General of India on March 22, 1894.

Following jails were functional even before the Prisons Act of 1894:

At the time of independence, the Punjab inherited 19 jails. 13 more jails have so far been commissioned in the province after independence. Presently there are 32 Jails functional in Province, out of them 09 are Central Jails, 19 are District Jails, 02 Borstal Institute & Juvenile Jails and 01 Women Jail, while 10 more Jails are under construction.

Central Jails: Especially established for long term sentenced prisoners, high profile prisoners / terrorists and other dangerous prisoners, and provide high securities to Central Jails to maintain Jail Administration. The Central Jails of Punjab are as under:
Central Jail, Bahawalpur: Central Jail, Bahawalpur was established in 1955 and area of Jail is 81 acre 07 kanal 02 marlas, area of lines 04 kanal, area of Jail colony 15 acre, 06 kanal, 07 marlas and area of agriculture 43. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 1334 prisoners whereas 1912 prisoners are confined.
Central Jail, Dera Ghazi Khan: Central Jail Dera Ghazi Khan was established in 1913 with extension in 1986 and area of Jail is  42 acre 04 kanal 19 marlas, area of lines 08 kanal, 04 marlas, area of Jail colony 78 kanal, 18 marlas and area of agriculture 03 acre, 18 marlas. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 582 prisoners whereas 1031 prisoners are confined.
Central Jail, Faisalabad: Central Jail, Faisalabad was established in 1971 and area of Jail is  125 acres 04 kanal 05 marlas. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 1190 prisoners whereas 2708 prisoners are confined.
Central Jail, Gujranwala: Central Jail, Gujranwala was established in 1883 and area of Jail is  40 acres 07 kanal 05 marlas. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 913 prisoners whereas 3109 prisoners are confined.
Central Jail, Lahore: Central Jail, Lahore was established in 1965 and area of Jail is  62 acres 04 kanal. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 1053 prisoners whereas 3537 prisoners are confined.
Central Jail, Mianwali: Central Jail, Mianwali was established in 1904 and area of Jail is 172 acre under cultivation 53 acre, area of Jail colony 26 acre, area of high security 37 acre and high security colony 09 acre. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 1050 prisoners whereas 1851 prisoners are confined.
Central Jail, Multan: Central Jail, Multan was established in 1930 and area of Jail is 115 acre, area of lines 02 acre, area of Jail colony 30 acre and area of agriculture 23 acre. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 1460 prisoners whereas 2234 prisoners are confined.
Central Jail, Rawalpindi: Central Jail, Rawalpindi was established in 1986 and area of Jail is  75 acres. The authorized accommodation of the Jail for 1994 prisoners whereas 4337 prisoners are confined.
Central Jail, Sahiwal: Central Jail, Sahiwal was established in 1873 and area of Jail is  70 acres. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 1750 prisoners whereas 3674 prisoners are confined.
District Jails: Especially established for local undertrial prisoners. In District Jails on daily basis prisoners transfer from jail to respected courts for their case judgments / for bail purpose. The District Jails of Punjab are as under:
District Jail, Mandi Bahauddin: District Jail Mandi Bahauddin was established in 1978 and area of Jail is 13 acre 05 kanal 19 marlas, area of Jail colony 03 acre, 04 kanal. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 279 prisoners whereas 573 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Lahore: District Jail Lahore was established in 1930 and area of Jail is 32 acre 04 kanal 01 marlas, area of lines 01 acre, 04 kanal, area of Jail colony 01 acre, 04 kanal. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 1050 prisoners whereas 2895 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Kasur: District Jail Kasur was established in 1929 and area of Jail is 32 acre 01 kanal 10 marlas, area of lines 01 acre, area of Jail colony 07 acre, 06 kanal, 15 marlas and area of agriculture 08 acre, 05 kanal, 10 marlas. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 444 prisoners whereas 1506 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Jhelum: District Jail Jhelum was established in 1854 and reconstructed in 1984 and area of Jail is 29 acre 15 marlas, area of lines 02 acre 06 kanal, area of Jail colony 06 acre and area of agriculture 07 acre, 02 kanal. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 416 prisoners whereas 742 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Jhang: District Jail Jhang was established in 1973 and area of Jail is 31 acre 01 kanal 04 marlas, area of lines and Jail colony 11 acre, 07 kanal, 06 marlas and area of agriculture 01 acre, 01 kanal, 18 marlas. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 916 prisoners whereas 1783 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Gujrat: District Jail, Gujrat was established in 1930 and area of Jail is 15 acre, area of lines 24 kanal, area of Jail colony 20 kanal. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 385 prisoners whereas 1407 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Faisalabad: District Jail, Faisalabad was established in 1894 and area of Jail is 298 kanal 16 marlas, area of line and Jail colony 60 kanal and area of agriculture 28 kanal. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 853 prisoners whereas 2162 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Bahawalnagar: District Jail, Bahawalnagar was established in 1947 and area of Jail is 36 acre 02 kanal 02 marlas, area of lines and Jail colony 11 acre, 03 marlas and area of agriculture 14 acre. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 347 prisoners whereas 505 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Attock: District Jail Attock was established in 1905-06 and area of Jail is67 acre 06 kanal 12 marlas, area of building 17 acre, area of barren land 02 acre, area of lines and  area of Jail colony 26 acre, 02 kanal, 12 marlas and area of agriculture 22 acre, 04 kanal. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 539 prisoners whereas 804 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Multan: District Jail, Multan was established in 1871-72 and area of Jail is  39 acres 02 kanal 13 marlas. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 229 prisoners whereas 854 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Muzaffargarh: District Jail Muzaffargarh was established in 1908 and area of Jail is 21 acre 05 kanal 09 marlas, area of lines 01 acre, area of Jail colony 07 acre, 01 kanal, 08 marlas and area of agriculture 04 acre, 03 kanal, 03 marlas. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 180 prisoners whereas 582 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Rahim Yar Khan: District Jail Rahim Yar Khan was established in 1950 and area of Jail is 24 acre 06 kanal 10 marlas, area of lines 03 acre, 02 kanal, area of Jail colony 05 acre, 03 kanal, 09 marlas. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 316 prisoners whereas 815 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Rajanpur: District Jail, Rajanpur was established in 1860 and area of Jail is  34 acres 03 marlas. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 114 prisoners whereas 217 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Sargodha: District Jail, Sargodha was established in 1910 and area of Jail is 33 acres 04 kanal, area of lines 03 kanal, area of Jail colony 05 acre, 04 kanal and area of agriculture 16 acre, 02 kanal. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 563 prisoners whereas 1318 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Shahpur: District Jail, Shahpur was established in 1873 and area of Jail is  59 acres 05 kanal 05 marlas The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 292 prisoners whereas 887 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Sheikhupura: District Jail Sheikhupura was established in 1922 and area of Jail is  19 acres 03 kanal 08 marlas. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 590 prisoners whereas 2107 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Sialkot: District Jail Sialkot was established in 1863 and area of Jail is  19 acres. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 722 prisoners whereas 2177 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Toba Tek Singh: District Jail Toba Tek Singh was established in 2007 and area of Jail is 67 acre 04 kanal 16 marlas, area of lines 02 acre, area of building 25 acre, 04 kanal, area of Jail colony 29 acre, 04 kanal, 16 marlas and area of agriculture 10 acre, 04 kanal. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 500 prisoners whereas 898 prisoners are confined.
District Jail, Vehari: District Jail Vehari was established in 2005 and area of Jail is 25 acre, area of lines 02 acre, area of Jail colony 08 acre and area of agriculture 12 acre, 04 kanal. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 500 prisoners whereas 741 prisoners are confined.
Borstal Institution and Juvenile/Women Jail: Especially established for juvenile prisoners and provide special formal/religious education to promote their personal activities and character. Women Jail especially established for women prisoners. The Borstal, Women and Sub Jails of Punjab are as under:
Borstal Institution and Juvenile Jail, Bahawalpur: Borstal Institution and Juvenile Jail Bahawalpur was established in 1866 and area of Jail is 13acre, area of Jail colony 07 acre and area of agriculture 04 acre. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 434 prisoners whereas 91 prisoners are confined.
Borstal Institution and Juvenile Jail, Faisalabad: Borstal Institution and Juvenile Jail Faisalabad was established in 2001 and area of Jail is 52 Acre, area of lines 03 Acre, area of Jail colony 20 Acre and area of agriculture 12 Acre.The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 224 prisoners whereas 146 prisoners are confined.
Sub Jail, Chakwal: Sub Jail Chakwal was established in 1998 and area of Jail is 06 kanal 17 marlas, area of lines 21 kanal, 01 marlas and area of Jail colony 04 kanal, 04 marlas. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 142 prisoners whereas 160 prisoners are confined.
Women Jail, Multan: Women Jail Multan was established in 1973-74 and area of Jail is 08 acre 05 kanal, area of Jail colony 02 acre. The authorized accommodation of the Jail is 166 prisoners whereas 94 prisoners are confined.