Deaths of six inmates at the District Camp Jail in the last two months has raised many a eyebrow in the civil society but the authorities concerned are yet to take notice of the sudden spike in deaths at one of the two main prisons in the city, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Citing the recent deaths of prisoners Attiqur Rehman, Saleem, Shehzad and Sarfaraz, prison sources claimed that everyone knew that they had been tortured by officials and ‘Numberdaars’ (prisoners hand-picked by the jail superintendent to monitor other prisoners).
Rehman, 22, was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) 10 days ago in a cyber crime case. The Agency interrogated him for four days and then shifted him to the Camp Jail.
According to Rehman’s brother, the youth had told him that the prison officials had beaten him up mercilessly for not offering them any money while the superintendent, Shehram Khan, had denied proper medical treatment to him.
“I made repeated efforts to apprise the higher authorities about my brother’s condition but no one was willing to give me a hearing. I also went to the Punjab home secretary’s office but a clerk there told me that nothing could be done against the jail superintendent, Shehram Khan, as he was allegedly appointed on the recommendation of the additional secretary (home),” he said.
“Not only Shehram Khan but all those patronising him are also guilty of my brother’s murder. Allah is watching and he will give justice to my family,” he said.
Pakistan Today made repeated efforts to contact Superintendent Shehram Khan but he remained inaccessible.
Prisons IG Mian Farooq Nazeer, in a brief comment, said that he had ordered a thorough investigation into the deaths of inmates at Camp Jail and other irregularities, and officials found responsible would not be spared regardless of their affiliations and contacts.
Meanwhile, sources in the District Camp Jail allege that the increase in deaths and other crimes had increased under Shehram Khan’s watch.
“Not only prison officials, but also hardened criminals have begun extorting money from poor inmates. These people also take a share from the inmates’ food ration brought to them by their families,” said the sources.
“Another source of income for the prison officials is in the form of bribes by prisoners for avoiding appearance in local courts. The prison officials demand Rs 400 for non-appearance of the inmate in District Courts; Rs 500 are charged for Cantt courts; Rs 600 for Model Town courts and Rs 1,000 for the sessions court,” the sources claimed.
A member of a non-government outfit working for prisoners’ welfare told Pakistan Today, on condition of anonymity fearing reprisal by jail authorities, that Prisons IG Nazeer can verify the irregularities being committed by the Camp Jail authorities by checking the record of prisoners who have skipped court hearings in the last two months.
“Several prisoners have claimed that some of the inmates who passed away in the last two months had died of torture by prison officials. When we questioned the superintendent, he claimed that the prisoners had died from illness,” he said.
The activist also claimed that the superintendent was making efforts to get the deputy superintendent posted out of Camp Jail “because he was unable to generate more money for him”. The claim could not be verified as the official concerned refused to comment.
Some prisoners being detained at the Camp Jail told Pakistan Today at the district courts, where they had been brought for their respective hearings on Tuesday, that drug peddling and other crimes were rampant within the prison.
“You can get heroin, charas (marijuana) and all other narcotics inside the prison if you have the money. It’s not that these things weren’t available before; now all banned items are more accessible,” he said, adding that moneyed prisoners were also availing cellular phone services inside their barracks.
The prisoner, whose name is being withheld for his security, said that the inmates are stripped naked and searched as soon as they return to the prison.
“Prison officials and ‘Numberdaars’ snatch money and other things that are given to us by our families. Inmates who don’t have much to offer are subjected to ruthless beatings and punishment,” he claimed.