RAWALPINDI, May 19: The number of prisoners in the already overcrowded Adiala jail has increased by almost 19 per cent, following the recent crackdown on illegal Afghan immigrants.

The jail was housing 4,637 prisoners before the crackdown on Afghans against its capacity of about 2,200. This figure has now swelled well over 5,600 and majority of the new prisoners are Afghans, who have been arrested in connection with the killing of two policemen recently.

Sources said the sharp increase in the number of prisoners had created host of problems for the jail administration.

“The increased number of prisoners is a serious threat to the jail security,” an officer told Dawn.

The already miserable living conditions in the jail have become even worse, as each cell is stuffed with almost 20 to 25 prisoners. “It is terrible during summer due to shortage of fans and coolers, and lack of proper ventilation system. However, the conditions aggravated after more people were brought in,” prisoners visiting district courts for hearing said.

The sources said the jail had 25 water-coolers — each cooler for 220 inmates. However, only six are working and the remaining are out of order. The prison, the sources said, required 100 more fans. It is also feared that such a huge presence of Afghan inmates may lead to breakout of diseases in the jail, as some of them are reportedly suffering from tuberculosis.

“We are experiencing difficulty in feeding and providing drinking water to these people,” an officer said. The Prisoners’ Aid Society, which is supposed to assist the jail administration in the welfare of inmates, is almost inactive.

Ulfat Kazmi, president of Aghaz, an NGO working for prisoners’ welfare, has asked the government to immediately repatriate Afghan inmates instead of keeping them in the jail and putting extra burden on the available resources.