The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is reportedly planning to carry out a survey of jails in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for installation of signal jamming devices, to cut communication of the imprisoned criminals with their associates outside jails.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has planned installation of jammers to check the use of cell phones by undesirable elements in jails and their surrounding areas, said a statement issued by the provincial home department.

It said that the matter was discussed at a meeting attended by secretary home, special secretary home, IG prisons, PTA authorities and other officers concerned.

During the meeting, the unlawful installation of jammers by some private individuals at various localities in Peshawar was also discussed. It directed the DCO Peshawar to take action against such companies installing jammers on public demand without the PTA approval.

The installation of jammers in KP jails was approved by the inter-ministerial committee in Dec 2011. The jamming devices would be installed in a few priority jails to be recommended by the PTA, home department and jail authorities.

The meeting asked the police department to provide a telecom expert to assist the prisons department in formulation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and customised solution in coordination with the PTA zonal authorities.