ISLAMABAD, 2 July 2006 — At least 450 prisoners took control of Khairpur jail in the southern Sindh province yesterday and held 12 officials of the prison hostage in protest over what they called the bad conduct of jail authorities, reports said.
“These inmates climbed to the rooftop of the jail and captured 12 officials to protest against bad conduct of the prison officials,” Pakistan’s private Geo Television quoted a local police official Javaid Jaskani as saying.
However, there were no reports of clashes or exchange of fire between the inmates and guards inside the jail, which houses 800 prisoners.
Jaskani said that senior prison officials held negotiation with the captors to resolve the situation, adding that several prisoners also complained about their cases being delayed in the lower courts.
According to another report the trouble began when two groups of inmates clashed over some issue and jail official Dilawar Jatoi tried to disengage them. The prisoners took him and other officials hostage.
According to the district police officer, prisoners had put forward demands that included provision of cell phones, television sets, removal of Jail Superintendent Abdul Majeed Siddiqui, regular supply of electricity and better food. Officials at the mayor’s office in Khairpur told Arab News on phone some prisoners managed to snatch arms from the guards and held the staff hostage. The district police officer said police used tear gas.
Sindh Home Minister Rauf Siddiqui also told Arab News, “About 450 prisoners staged a protest in the morning complaining that the jail staff demanded money from the kin of prisoners for arranging meetings. During the agitation they took some jail officials hostage.” About the captors’ demand for the removal of the jail superintendent, Rauf said, “We do not accept such demands but we will hold probe into corruption charges against jail staff.”
Later, however, the authorities gave jail control to Deputy Superintendent Abu Bakar to calm the situation after which the prisoners reportedly went back to their barracks.
Militants Blow Up Railway Track
Suspected tribal militants, fighting for greater political and economic autonomy, blew up a railway line linking southwestern Pakistan to Iran early yesterday.
Four bombs exploded at the railway track near the town of Noshki in southern Balochistan province several hours before the train bound for the Iranian border town of Zahedan was due to pass. Noshki is 100 kilometers southwest of Quetta.
