SUKKUR, Nov 9: The federal government has asked the Sindh government to submit a report about the unrest and lawlessness prevailing in various jails of the province. Informed sources told this correspondent that following repeated incidents of violence in which prisoners took officials hostage, broke barracks, climbed on prisons’ roofs and forced authorities to accept their legal as well as illegal demands, the federal government took a serious notice of the situation and sought a report from the Sindh government. The provincial government was also asked to suggest ways and means to avert such incidents in future.

Sources further said the federal government had also sought a report about allegations of corruption and excesses against jail authorities, including extortion of money from relatives of prisoners to meet them and torturing inmates.

They said the federal government had taken the step on reports of various intelligence agencies regarding the prevailing unrest in jails of Sindh, especially central jails of Sukkur, Jacobabad and Khairpur.

The government has also taken notice of mobile phones available with prisoners in jails, who allegedly use cell phones to keep in touch with criminals outside the jail. Sources said prisoners having mobile phones played a vital role in kidnapping for ransom and later received their share in the jail.