Prisoners' strike enters 10th day in Multan jail

At least 52 prisoners are still on hunger strike in New Central Jail Multan since June 6 and their strike entered the 10th day.
However, another 10 prisoners called off their hunger strike on Tuesday. A team of doctors today (Tuesday) visited the prison and examined the hunger strikers and declared their condition very critical.
"We are trying to convince the condemned prisoners, who belong to sectarian outfits, including the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, to call off their hunger strike. However, 10 prisoners ended their strike on the ninth day," said Jail Superintendent Ziaullah.
"Hunger striking prisoners are being nourished through drips/injections, however, they are losing their weight rapidly. But we cannot provide them facilities as per the jail manual for security reason," said Deputy Inspector General of Prisons (Southern) Farooq Nazir, who met the hunger strikers in the prisons on Tuesday.
"We are providing them medical assistance and giving them glucose and nourishment through drips and we are trying to save the lives of these condemned prisoners, who belong to different sectarian outfits," said the DIG (Prisons) Multan.
Jail Superintendent Ziaullah said: "The jail manual cannot be applied to those prisoners, who were sentenced for their involvement in sectarian activities, espionage or other heinous crimes and they are not entitled to get any remission in the sentence as admissible to other prisoners.
These prisoners are staging a protest against 'inhuman attitude and atrocities of jail staff.'
Hunger strike of activists of Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan entered the ninth day on Monday and jail authorities are trying to save their lives.
The prisoners vowed to continue their hunger strike till the implementation of jail manual in letter and in spirit, withdrawal of discriminatory instructions, regular check-up of their physique, provision of hygienic and qualitative food.
They said that they would continue their strike till death and said that jail authorities and the government would be responsible for their deaths.