MULTAN, Nov 9: The New Central Jail staff foiled escape bid by two activists of outlawed Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan on Wednesday night. According to the jail administration, Rana Zahid Husain of Samijabad in Multan and Sajid Tufail of Khanewal were imprisoned in death cells 17 and 18 of barrack No 15. They climbed the roof of the barrack after breaking walls of their cell at 9:30pm when all the prisoners were shifted to their barracks.
The administration claimed that they tried to take Assistant Superintendent Zafar Iqbal hostage and fired on him but he escaped while a searchlight was broken.
The administration sought help from the DIG (prisons) and a contingent of police and Elite Force was sent which surrounded the area.
At about 2am, both the convicts surrendered after the assurance given by the high ups that neither they would be tortured nor killed. A pistol and 14 bullets were recovered from their possession, the jail staff added.
Investigation has been ordered to find how the weapon reached the prisoners, a jail official said.
DIG (prisons) Farooq Nazir said about 12 members of Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan were imprisoned in the barrack No 15 but none of them was involved in their plan.
Convict Zahid Husain killed six policemen of Multan district and was involved in attempted murder of DSP Ejaz Shafi Dogar while Sajid Tufail killed Khanewal Deputy Commissioner Capt Ali Raza (retired) and plotted to kill Syed Fakhar Imam and Sajid Naqvi.
PATIENT: A dengue fever patient who has been confirmed positive after laboratory reports is recovering at the Nishter Hospital, Multan.
Muhammad Suhail from Burewala, who was working in Karachi, was admitted to Nishter.
Doctor Afshan Umair told Dawn that the patient was making a fast recovery.
SECURITY PLAN: Multan police have prepared a security plan for the annual three-day grand congregation of Dawat-i-Islami to begin from Nov 17, reports APP.
The congregation is being held regularly since 1995 and it attracts people every year from across the country and abroad.
Some 5,000 police employees will offer security cover to participants of the congregation. Closed circuit TV cameras are being installed to monitor the movement of the people from all angles.