MIRPURKHAS, June 12: DIG Police Saleemullah Khan on Monday paid a surprise visit to district prison to give an opportunity of personal hearing to detained police officers involved in a case of keeping in wrongful confinement Naeem Arain and Jarwar and torturing them, but the officers refused to meet him.

Mr Khan told reporters that he did not visit the barrack where the police officers were detained but added that he wanted to hear their side of the story with regard to show-cause notices in a personal hearing but the officials refused.

Inspector Abid Kaimkhani, sub inspectors, Ameer Azam Shah, Raza Mohammed Shah, Ghulam Mustafa Thebo and Amin Mari; ASI Abid Noon, Head Constable Zulfiqar Bhatti, Rehmatullah, Adam Makrani and Mohammed Yousuf are in judicial custody at district jail.

Mr Khan said that he inspected the barracks, heard the prisoners’ problems, checked prison record and gleaned information about meals being provided to the inmates.

Meanwhile, District Prison Superintendent Ziaur Rehman Bajwa clarified that the reports about prisoners’ reaction when the arrested police officials including former SHOs were brought to prison for judicial custody were wrong.

DCO: DCO Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah has directed officers of the Sindh Rural Development Project to improve their efficiency so that people in rural areas are provided with basic facilities.

He said the project for which the Asian Development Bank had provided Rs3,754.06 million had been started to provide basic facilities in backward areas of Mirpurkhas, Badin, Sanghar and Thatta districts.