RAWALPINDI, Feb 11: The huger strike of Adiala Jail inmates staged in protest against denying them permission to offer collective prayers and free movement on the Jail premises entered its sixth consecutive day on Sunday, while negotiations between the jail authorities and the inmates have drawn a blank.

Jail Superintendent Shahid Baig had recently ordered the jail staff not to allow the prisoners involved in cases of sectarianism, terrorism and others heinous crimes to offer collective prayers and move about freely on the jail premises.

Following the superintendent’s orders, the prisoners went on hunger strike demanding permission to offer collective prayers and free movement.

The condition of 18 prisoners is stated to be critical and most of them have refused to take food or get any medical treatments till their demands were fulfilled. The prisoners also complained of supply of unhygienic food and torture at the hands of the jail staff. The jail superintendent has spurned demands of the prisoners.

It merits mentioning here that the home secretary had recently paid a surprise visit to the jail and suspended Superintendent Abdul Rauf for torturing a prisoner. —Online