MARDAN, Oct 18: The inmates of the Mardan jail are forced to live like animals in unhygienic conditions due to serious overcrowding in the prison.

The jail was built in 1846 under the supervision of Lt Lumsdon, an English administrator, when British forces occupied this area by defeating Sikhs.

At that time, the jail had the capacity to accommodate 350 prisoners, while the city population was only 3,000. But now when the city population, after about 156 years, has increased to about 200,000, as many as 700 prisoners have been lodged in this prison.

A man, recently released from the jail, told this correspondent that condition in the jail was extremely bad and was deteriorating fast with every passing day.

He added that jail officials had lodged more than 100 prisoners in a barrack, which was meant only for 35 or 40 inmates.

He said the prisoners were compelled to spend sleepless nights, as there was hardly any place to sit, let alone lie down. He also lamented the poor sanitation condition and lack of clean drinking water.

It was further learnt that condition in the women prison was not different from that of the men prison.

The officials have accommodated about 48 women prisoners, while its capacity is only for 14 prisoners.

In April 1995, the government of Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao had announced that the jail would be shifted to some other place. The proposed also plan suggested establishment of a public park at the site of the jail, but the suggestion went unheeded.