RAWALPINDI, July 21: A team from the district health department on Saturday visited Adiala Jail to check the quality of food and medicine being provided to the prisoners.

The visit was made on the directives of District and Sessions Judge Syed Maroof after complaints that substandard items were being given to the inmates.

The health department team, comprising Malik Usman and Mohammad Jawad, collected samples of food from the jail kitchen and medicine from the jail hospital and sent them to Lahore for laboratory test. The team also inspected the hygienic condition in the kitchen and stores.

On the other hand, the jail authorities claimed that they had made special arrangements to provide quality food to over 6,000 prisoners in Ramazan. “On the directives of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, we have made arrangements to provide fresh and quality food to the prisoners, including over 100 women and 80 juveniles,” they said.

They added that children and women prisoners would be given a glass of milk on a daily basis. Iftari for each prisoner include two dates, an apple, a juice pack, three pakoras, a piece of mango or other fruit and night meal.

The Sehri would be in accordance with the weekly plan, they said. However, the prisoners have been given the choice to arrange their own Iftari but the food coming from outside would be thoroughly checked before being handed over to them, the officials said.

They said food provided by philanthropists would be properly utilised for the prisoners.