Larkana Prison drama ends, Inmates’ demands accepted

LARKANA, Feb 12,022- Following acceptance of demands of prisoners, the scene of repeated protests and rioting for about seven months came to an end.

The fellow inmate of prisoners, Mohammad Ali Khokhar, was transferred from Shikarpur jail back to Larkana.

Inmates of Larkana prison had taken seven policemen hostage in the jail yesterday.

Prison authorities held talks with the inmates, after which the inmates released five officials.

Prisoners said the other two policemen will not to be released till prisoner Muhammad Ali Khokhar, who was transferred to Shikarpur Central Jail, is transferred to Larkana prison.

Prisoner Muhammad Ali Khokhar, who was transferred to Shikarpur, was transferred to Larkana Central Prison on Friday.

Before taking the extreme action hostage-taking over the issue of Khokhar`s return, the inmates had been holding protests for almost a month over shifting of their 13 fellows, including Khokhar, to other jails on Jan 12.

The prisoners freed the seven policemen they had been holding hostage since last Friday after Khokhar was taken back on an order issued by the DIG of Sukkur jail, sources said.

The prison authorities confirmed that all seven policemen held hostage by inmates had been freed, ending the eight-day standoff.

Before taking the extreme action hostage-taking over the issue of Khokhar`s return, the inmates had been holding protests for almost a month over shifting of their 13 fellows, including Khokhar, to other jails on Jan 12.

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Negotiations between the agitating prisoners and the jail authorities had been continuing since then but the latter did not bow to the pressure even after a large number of inmates climbed up to the rooftop and torched bedsheets in one of the episodes.

On Thursday evening, a local Pakistan Peoples Party leader joined the talks and got the matter settled.

The Larkana prisonl currently houses 946 inmates.

Assistant superintendent of the jail Maula Bakhsh Sahito had on Thursday registered a case (FIR against 47 prisoners at the Waleed police station for rioting, duty assault and holding jail officials hostage.

The FIR was not withdrawn till Friday evening.

In January 2021, incident, the police used teargas and aerial firing to control the protesting prisoners. The prisoners succeeded in preventing the extra contingent of police from entering the jail.

The prisoners complained they are provided no facilities in jail without paying bribes. They also alleged they are subjected to violence.

During the first wave of COVID 19, the Larkana Prions inmates refused to give attendance, demanding that they should be allowed to move out of barracks where it is impossible to maintain social distancing there amid the rapid spread of the virus.

In the first wave a total of 77 inmates and staff members had been tested for the coronavirus after which eight of them, including a jailer Iqbal Nonari were diagnosed with the virus positive