KARACHI, Feb 3: MQM chief Altaf Hussain has drawn the attention of President General Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Ahmad Chaudhri towards the plight of jail inmates and called for release of those languishing in prison without trial for a longer period.

In a statement from London on Friday, he showed his anguish at the agonising condition in country’s prisons, where overcrowding, insanitation had made the prisoners’ lives miserable.

“They, too, were human beings and needed fair treatment. This is cause of concern for every one of us and ought to be addressed immediately because those jailed since long had grown old and ladies with infants and young children were forced to spend their time alarming conditions, he said.

He requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take sou moto notice of conditions in jails and ensure justice to them on war-footing so that they can be released.