Due to overcrowding at Adiala Jail, 475 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) detainees, including four female prisoners, have been transferred to District Jail Jhelum, 24NewsHD TV Channel reported on Wednesday.
According to the sources, the detainees were reportedly arrested during the PTI's November 24 protests in Islamabad. With Adiala Jail exceeding its capacity, the authorities decided to move the detainees to Jhelum.
Sources also revealed that the District Jail Jhelum is now holding nearly 1,600 inmates against its sanctioned capacity of only 600, making it over 2.5 times overcrowded.
Despite the challenges, the jail administration assured that all detainees are being provided with adequate facilities. "We are committed to ensuring better conditions even with the overcrowding," a Jhelum Jail official stated.
It is worth mentioning that three days ago, on November 2, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad sent 281 workers of the PTI to Adiala Jail for 14 days for an identification parade.
Police authorities produced 283 PTI supporters, including two women, in the court of ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra.
Lawyer Ansar Kiani appeared in court on behalf of the defendants, who were booked under multiple FIRs registered with Islamabad’s Kohsar Police Station, Karachi Company Police Station, Margalla Police Station, Secretariat Police Station, and Tarnol Police Station.
During the court hearing, the Islamabad police sought custody of these PTI supporters for an identification parade. However, the lawyer of the defendants opposed the police’s plea.
He said that police have been detaining the PTI supporters for the last six days despite the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC)ruling on the identification of the suspects. Also, the judge sent the two women on judicial remand.
Reporter: Raja Waqar