January 17, 2006	Tuesday	Zilhaj 16, 1426

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SIALKOT, Jan 16: Following the detection of 500 hepatitis cases, the jail authorities have set up a permanent laboratory for conducting tests of all prisoners on a regular basis.

The officials on Monday continued tests of more inmates.

Jail Superintendent Muhammad Yousaf Ghouri told the press here on Monday that the lab was being run successfully at the district jail under the supervision of death sentence victim Muneer Ahmad who had served for long as laboratory assistant with a Colonel doctor.

He said Mr Muneer had been appointed as the incharge of the lab. The jail superintendent said the hepatitis tests results would be verified by the Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital’s laboratories.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has also directed all the jails authorities to conduct the hepatitis tests of all prisoners on a permanent basis.

Dawn learnt that the Punjab IG (Prisons) had also sought a detailed report from the Sialkot jail administration on the detection of hepatitis cases.

As many as 500 cases (350 of hepatitis-C and 150 of B) were detected after conducting of tests of 1,400 prisoners a few days ago.

EXHIBITION: A two-day jewellery exhibition started at a local hotel on Monday.

Designs by Shireen Khan have been displayed at the exhibition. Using bold and bright coloured precious and semi-precious stones, she has given a distinctive style to her creations.

A large number of jewellery lovers visited the exhibition.