The Punjab Home Department has issued a notification announcing the transfer and appointment of 298 prison officials across the province.

The large-scale reshuffle, reportedly under the banner of a prison reforms agenda, comes just before anticipated protests by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

The changes affect a wide range of positions, including 7 Superintendents, 15 Deputy Superintendents, two psychologists, seven office superintendents, 29 assistant superintendents, 40 chief wardens, 30 head wardens, 150 wardens

Several key appointments have also been made, Saqib Nazir has been appointed as AIG Industries Inspectorate of Prisons, Ishtiaq Ahmed Gul is the new Principal of the Punjab Prison Staff Training Institute, Lahore, Akhtar Iqbal is appointed Superintendent, District Jail, Gujrat, Muhammad Asif Azeem is the new Superintendent, Juvenile Jail, Faisalabad. Muhammad Arshad is appointed Course Commandant, Punjab Prison Staff Training College, Sahiwal, Rasul Bakhsh is the new Superintendent, District Jail, Bahawalnagar, Nazik Shahzad has been posted to Muzaffargarh and Sohail Nabi Gul is now Additional Superintendent, Central Jail, Gujranwala.

The timing of the transfers, preceding expected PTI protests, has raised speculation about their purpose. While the government cites prison reforms, the scale and scope of the reshuffle have prompted questions.