KARACHI, Oct 25: Sindh Minister for Women Development Dr. Saeeda Malik paid a surprise visit to Special Prison for Women Karachi, and took serious notice of improper cleanliness and lack of basic facilities in the prison.

She directed the jail authorities to ensure provision of food and medicine to the inmates according to the jail manual.

The minister, accompanied by a panel of five-women lawyers went round different barracks and patiently listened to the problems of prisoners.

Some women informed the minister that they had been in the jail for more than two years, but their challans have not been presented in courts.

Dr. Saeeda Malik inspected the kitchen of the jail and expressed dissatisfaction over cleanliness and directed that the kitchen be improved at an earliest. She also went to the sewing training centre and the school set up in the jail and talked to prisoners.

The minister called for formation of a panel of NGOs and lawyers to resolve the problems of women prisoners.

The secretary of women development Nisar Ahmed Siddiqui and director Farzana Saleem were also present.—APP