Court summons Mayo Hospital MS, Jail Superintendent today

LAHORE - Blame game has started over the death of a prisoner namely Sajid in Camp Jail Lahore as Additional District and Sessions Judge Sohail Nasir took serious notice of inmates death due to lack of proper treatment. An under-trial prisoner Sajid expired in Camp Jail on October 18 owing to improper medical facilities, on which DSJ Lahore Sohail Nasir took the serious notice after a news item appeared on a private TV channel. The court had directed Camp Jail Superintendent Gulzar, Special Judicial Magistrate and medical officers to submit the report of the death of the inmate in the court today. On Wednesday the jail superintendent told the court that Superintendent of Police (SP) Headquarters had not provided the guard (police officials) to take the under-trial prisoner to hospital. While on the other hand, Special Judicial Magistrate Sajjad presented his report along with the statements of the witnesses that when and how Sajid died in prison. Referring to the names of the witnesses like Jail dispensers Hafiz Waheed, Fiaz and two prisoners of Jail General Khan and Ghulam Abbas, he said that Sajid was an addict and he died of cardiac arrest. He mentioned in report that according to witnesses the deceased Sajid fell unconscious in jail at 7:55am and expired at 8:20am same day. As per report, during examination by medical officers there were no torture marks on his body. The medical officer further elaborated that he could not say anything final till the post-mortem report. The officials of Jail also told the court that they had not received the post-mortem report. On which Judge Sohail Nasir said that courts could not shut their eyes over injustice with citizens in jails. He also issued directives to Mayo Hospital medical superintendent, Camp Jail superintendent Gulzar, medical officers namely Mehmood and Zulifqar, Superintendent of Police (SP headquarters) to appear before court today (Thursday) for recording their statements before court so that inquiry into death of Sajid could be made on merit. The Judge also ordered Mayo Hospital MS to bring the post-mortem report with himself, so that the court could deliver justice. It is pertinent to mention here that the presented report was incomplete about cause of death of Sajid in prison.

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