LARKANA, Jan 15 Inmates of the Central Prison Larkana climbed to the roof of barracks on Thursday in protest against the failure of the authorities to produce them in courts. They burned their worn-out clothes and blankets, said sources inside the jail.

Frequent VIP movements keep police contingent occupied, barring prisoners' production in courts for regular hearings, said a jail official.

Over the past three days not a single squad could transport prisoners to courts, said the sources.

An official said that a few prisoners occupied some newly constructed barracks and denied reports that they did not allow the staff to do the counting.

The prison holds 1,347 inmates against capacity of 410. They also protested against poor conditions in jail barracks, fearing collapse of old structures any time, said the sources.

Later, prisoners who had climbed to the roofs ended the protest and went back to their barracks with the situation coming under control, said an official.