600 prisoners go on hunger-strike

LAHORE - More than 600 convicted prisoners went on hunger strike in Kot Lakhpat Jail on Friday to protest excessive burden of work as they were unable to pay illegal gratification to the new jail administration including Superintendent jail, Malik Mushtaq Awan and deputy superintendent, Shabraiz Gujar, the sources in the jail confided to The Nation on Friday.
The prisoners it is said did not take their lunch, alleging that the jail administration was forcing them to undertake work for nine hours in the factory instead of seven hours shift which was in vogue for the last 30 years. They accused the administration of demanding bribe.
The sources claimed that earlier the convicted prisoners were required to work in the factory from 7:00 to 2:00 pm but new administration has extended this time duration from 7:00 to 4:00. They alleged that prisoners who were not doing labour in factory were paying to the jail staff Rs 2000 per head on monthly basis, asserting that new administration has also enhanced the 'rate to exemption from labour from Rs 2000 to Rs 3000 and then Rs 4000 per head per month. The sources maintained that convicted prisoners were allowed to meet their family members twice a week on Thursday and Monday, but now they are allowed to do so once a week on Monday.
In the past only six prisoners were being kept in 'Chakki but now eight to ten prisoners are being detained, creating suffocation for them.
A relative of a prisoner, seeking anonymity said that earlier prisoners, after meeting with their family members were allowed to go to their barracks with a view to storing edible items which were provided to them by their family members. Now the new administration has required them to first report to the factory supervisor while carrying their items.
This exercise is aimed at increasing 'corruption rates, he added. When contacted IG Prison, Kokab Nadeem Waraich said that he has issued instructions to the Superintendent Jail concerned to settle the issue, and he was holding dialogues with the priosners. In case, he did not succeed, he would send DIG level officer to look into the matter.
He was of the view that present Superintendent jail has started streamlining the conduct of convicted prisoners who had been shirking work as per prisons rules and regulations, and that was the reasons that prisoners were now protesting and have gone on hunger strike.
When contacted, Superintendent jail, Malik Mushtaq Awan did not attend his cell phone despite repeated calls.