SAHIWAL: Around three dozen security personnel of the High Security Prison (HSP) staged a demonstration in uniform on Monday by blocking College Chowk for two hours. They were protesting against the alleged highhandedness of senior HSP staff.

Protesters are demanding eight hours duty shift and professional approach by bosses in day-to-day staff matters and respectable treatment. Dawn learned Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) Kamran Anjum and Malik Shaukat were negotiating with protesters.

HSP Superintendent Naveed did not attend calls.

Sources said that on May 23, security personal Mulazim Hussain sought an urgent leave from the assistant superintendent of jail which was not granted. When his pleas fell on deaf ears, Mulazim exchanged words with the senior official which soon turned into a physical brawl. Seeing their colleague insulted and manhandled, Mulazim’s colleagues called a strike on the HSP premises. It is said Mr Naveed failed to handle the situation, upon which the Sahiwal DIG had to intervene. The DIG assured Mulazim and his colleagues that an inquiry would be done. Later on, the jail superintendent suspended nine security personnel from job and asked them to report to the office of the Punjab IG office. This created resentment among other colleagues who, in solidarity with the suspended colleagues, decided to make a public protest. They said the superintendent was going to suspend another 35 personnel in the coming days.

On Monday, more than three dozen Elite Security personnel arrived in their uniform at College Chowk at 7:30am. They blocked the chowk from all sides. Interestingly, security personnel in six to eight groups blocked the chowk from the four sides. First DIG Anjum arrived at the scene but protesters refused to negotiate with him. They said the DIG did not show impartiality in the inquiry against their nine colleagues. Later, Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Zaman Wattoo intervened and upon his assurance protesters opened the chowk. They went to the DC office and later to DIG Prison office. Mr Shaukat, DIG (Prison), Multan range, was called to hold negotiations with protesters. Protesters demanded reduction in their duty from 16 hours to eight hours.

Dawn learnt from sources a few months back, sanitary staffers of HSP prison also went on strike when they were beaten up by the senior staff for demanding casual leave.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2019