KARACHI, Jan 23: Justice Amir Hani Muslim of the Sindh High Court on Tuesday asked the capital city police officer to increase the strength of the contingent deputed to transport under-trial prisoners from jail to the city courts so UTPs could attend their trial regularly.

Landhi Jail Superintendent Nusrat Husain and SSP (Security) Farooq Amin Qureshi appeared before the judge in a bail application moved by Abdul Waheed, a UTP.

He stated that he was booked in a bank robbery committed in North Nazimabad in November 2004.

He had been charge-sheeted by an additional session judge of District Central but the case was not proceeding due to non-production of evidence.

The case was fixed for hearing on 25 dates, out of which he was produced on only 16 occasions.

He said the prosecution was responsible for the delay in proceedings and he should be freed on bail pending the trial.

The jail and police officials submitted that 630 policemen were required to ensure all under-trial prisoners were produced on every date.

However, only 360 were available for the purpose and they were helpless in the face of non-availability of security guards to escort the UTPs to the city courts.

They said UTP Waheed could not be produced in the trial court on nine dates because of a shortage of security staff.

They also submitted that the city courts lock-up had a capacity of accomodating 200 UTPs but double this figure are accommodated.

They suggested a new, multi-storeyed lock-up be built in the city courts to accommodate the increasing number of UTPs.

Justice Muslim issued a direction to increase the number of police personnel required to transport the UTPs and adjourned further proceedings to February 2.