Falak Sher
MARDAN
The relatives of the prisoner and leaders of different political parties strongly criticized the ill-treatment of prisoners in Mardan Jail, their unnecessary harassment and forcible transfer to other prisons in the province.
Addressing to a news conference at Mardan press club former federal minister Nawbzada Khwaja Muhammad Khan Hoti, Maulana Shuja-ul-Mulk, Pukhtoon Student Federation (PSF) leader Sabir Mayar, Haji Owais Khan, Mufti Abdul Wakil, Irshad Ahmed and others, leaders of political, religious and business community and relatives of the prisoners said that the jail superintendent is transferring prisoners from Mardan jail to other jails in the province and abusing their families and relatives. What is the justice in going far away to meet with these prisoners?.
Speakers said that a committee comprising all parties should be formed and, with permission from the administration, they should be allowed to visit the prison so that they can review the arrangements and facilities for the prisoners.
They argued that the jail does not have proper arrangements for langar, while food items are being sold at double the official price list in the shop inside the jail. They alleged that the jail superintendent sold the government air coolers to the prisoners.
Similarly, the medicines that are being supplied to the prisoners are being sold outside and only two types of medicines are being given to the prisoners.
They added that prisoners who raise their voices against the brutality and abuse of the prison administration are transferred to prisons far away from Mardan, where it becomes difficult for their relatives and loved ones to meet them.
They added that no hospital administration in Mardan Jail is ready to conduct post-mortems of the dead prisoners. They demanded that the provincial government should take action against the mistreatment and abuse of prisoners in the prison of Mardan.
They argued that when the elders spoke to the jail superintendent regarding the transfer of some prisoners from Mardan Jail to other jails without reason, he accused the prisoners of selling drugs inside the jail. They argued that if prisoners sell drugs inside the prison, then action should be taken against the prison superintendent first, not the prisoners.
The speakers demanded that the provincial government transfer the prisoners of Mardan to Mardan Jail and stop the ill-treatment and unnecessary harassment of prisoners in the jail.
They warned that if their demands are not accepted, a Jirga comprising all political parties will decide on a joint course of action for the future and will not hesitate to go to any extent and make any sacrifice to raise their voice for the rights of prisoners at every forum.
