August 06, 2008	Wednesday	Sha’aban 3, 1429

SUKKUR, Aug 5: Adviser to Sindh chief minister for prisons Gul Mohammad Jakhrani has said the capacity of prisoners in 20 jails of Sindh is 9,000, but over 20,000 prisoners have been kept in these jails which is creating problems for the government to provide them required facilities.

Addressing a press conference at the circuit house in Sukkur on Tuesday, he said that despite overcrowding of jails the government was trying to provide facilities to prisoners according to the jail manual.

He said a meeting would be held soon to discuss ways and means to modernise the jail manual and suggestions of participants would be sent to the parliaments for approval.

He said that he was visiting different jails throughout the province to get information about the problems of prisoners and jail staff.

He said the main problem of prisoners was their non-production in courts due to which number of prisoners in jails was rising.

He disclosed that due to shortage of judges in lower courts some 86 per cent prisoners were awaiting hearing of their cases and the government of Sindh had appealed to the chief justice to appoint more judges to overcome the shortage.— Correspondent