As many as 14 prisoners called off their hunger strike on Wednesday, while remaining 48 prisoners are still on hunger strike in New Central Jail, Multan, since June 6 and their strike entered the 11th day.
A team of doctors was examining them frequently in the jail, and declared the condition of 12 prisoners very critical, while 36 are also losing their weight.
"We managed to convince the 14 condemned prisoners, who belong to sectarian outfits, including banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi to call off their hunger strike.
However, 48 prisoners are still on hunger strike to press the authorities for acceptance of their demands," said Jail Superintendent Ziaullah.
"These striking prisoners were being nourished through drips/injections, however, they are losing their weight rapidly and weakness was increasing day by day, but we cannot provide them facilities as per jail manual for security reason", said Farooq Nazir, deputy inspector general (prisons Southern)
Farooq Nazir met the hunger strikers in the prisons, saying they would be unfettered when they would see their relatives in the prisons, however, it is not possible to keep them unfettered all the time in the prison.
"We are providing them medical assistance and giving them glucose and nourishment through drips, and are trying to save the lives of condemned prisoners, who belong to different sectarian outfits", said Multan DIG (prisons).
The Jail superintendent said: "Jail manual cannot be applied on those, who were sentenced for their involvement in sectarian activities, espionage or other heinous crime and they are not entitled to get any remission in the sentence as admissible to other prisoners.
However, the jail staff managed to unstitch their mouths after three days persuasion. Some eight prisoners had stitched their lips with needle and thread in New Central Jail, Multan, on June 9.
They were not taking food or water orally as a protest against inhuman attitude and atrocities by the jail staff.