SUKKUR: Prisoners have been observing hunger strike in central prison Sukkur for four days in protest against lack of basic facilities, poor food and jail staffers’ demanding bribe for meetings with relatives, according to inmates.

The prisoners Ali Hyder Gadani, Shaban Shar and others who were brought to court to attend hearing of their cases on Wednesday told journalists that they had started the protest four days ago over jail staff’s “cruel attitude” towards inmates and lack of basic facilities. They had now refused to accept meals being supplied by the jail administration, they said.

They said that jail staffers were not allowing their relatives to meet them if they failed to pay them bribe and they often confiscated cooked food, different eatables and others items as well as money brought for them by their relatives.

They said that jail police had removed LCD televisions as well.

Meanwhile, fifth additional sessions judge Jalaluddin Soomro paid surprise visit to the central prison where he met two prisoners each from barracks who informed him under oath about the problems they were facing.

The judge after hearing prisoners’ complaints placed services of ASI Amanullah Wassan under suspension on charges of taking bribe and also ordered that six months’ salaries of the policeman be withheld.

The judge assured the prisoners that their demands would be met. The prisoners, however, vowed to continue the agitation till their demands were met.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2018