Prisoners’ jailbreak: Investigations against officials wrested from CTD
Tussle between dept, central jail officials leads to investigation being transferred to Crime Branch
Two incarcerated under-trial prisoners broke out of Central Jail, Karachi on June 13. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD SAQIB/EXPRESS
KARACHI:
The Sindh inspector-general of police has been forced to play mediator in a dispute between the administration and officials of Central Jail, Karachi and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD). IG Allah Dino Khawaja has taken the investigation of a case registered by the CTD against the jail administration for negligence that led to the escape of two under-trial prisoners back and transferred it to the Crime Branch.
The tussle recently escalated when the CTD registered a case against the Central Jail, Karachi’s administration and staff for intervening in investigations and trying to ‘eliminate’ evidence by torturing prisoners who helped the CTD investigators, thereby putting an end to the investigators’ sources of information.
“Earlier, multiple cases were registered following the jailbreak at the CTD and New Town police stations but this time, the CTD directly accused the serving jail administration and officials [by registering] a fake case a couple of days ago at the CTD police station, while also including Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act,” explained a jail official who wished to remain anonymous. “The CTD did this because they were recently stopped from conducting an operation inside the jail.”
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Following this, the jail administration asked the IG to intervene by writing a letter signed by over two dozen officials and personnel of Central Jail, Karachi. The letter stated that on September 28, an FIR No 157/17 was registered at the CTD police station under sections 201, 186, 353, 109 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act against the present staff of the prison.
“In this connection, it is pointed out that the CTD authorities threatened from time to time to implicate [us] in false cases. They also harassed [us] and registered two more FIRs, numbers 145/17 and 157/17, at CTD police station and FIR No 149/17 at New Town police station against the all staff,” read the letter. “Resultantly, the prison administration is upset, disappointed and shocked as to why they have been implicated in false and fabricated FIRs despite performing our duties. The act of the CTD authorities will have a bad impact upon all the staff as no one will be willing to perform duties in prison and, of course, prisoners affiliated with different banned organisations as well as others will take advantage of the prevailing chaos being instigated by the CTD authorities,” it said.
The letter stated that after the escape of the two Lashkar-e-Jhangvi-associated prisoners the administration had taken drastic efforts for the restoration of prison writ and discipline amongst the prisoners. “It is submitted that the CTD authorities [were] demanding the provision of memory cards, knives, scissors and AJ devices and that the [prison] authorities informed them that the search was carried out by the Rangers and that the above items were lying with them,” stated the letter. It went on to say that the prison officials had written to the Rangers for the provision of the articles.
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“The prison administration always coordinated with the CTD authorities whenever they desired [something] and never concealed any document or evidence in this connection.”
They refuted the CTD’s claims that they had tortured or threatened any prisoner for their interaction with the CTD. The CTD authorities frequently visited the prison and were allowed to meet any prisoner in separate room, the letter stated. It was questioned how the CTD officials could investigate the case after becoming the complainant in the FIRs.
The prison officials requested the IG to cancel the FIRs or transfer the investigation to another police agency and let the prison administration continue with their work without ‘mental torture’.
Following the letter, the IG transferred the investigation, which will now be conducted by Crime Branch Additional IG Aftab Pathan, according to a notification issued on Saturday. The notification states that AIG Pathan will personally supervise the investigation of the case and depute a responsible officer for an impartial investigation on merit.
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According to an official of the department, only one case has been transferred to AIG Pathan. The case was registered recently because it implicates the present jail officials as well. They are hampering the investigation and it will be clear in court whether they are telling the truth or whether we are right, said the senior official.
Meanwhile, CTD officials, including AIG Sanaullah Abbasi, were unavailable for comments.
The Sindh inspector-general of police has been forced to play mediator in a dispute between the administration and officials of Central Jail, Karachi and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD). IG Allah Dino Khawaja has taken the investigation of a case registered by the CTD against the jail administration for negligence that led to the escape of two under-trial prisoners back and transferred it to the Crime Branch.
The tussle recently escalated when the CTD registered a case against the Central Jail, Karachi’s administration and staff for intervening in investigations and trying to ‘eliminate’ evidence by torturing prisoners who helped the CTD investigators, thereby putting an end to the investigators’ sources of information.
“Earlier, multiple cases were registered following the jailbreak at the CTD and New Town police stations but this time, the CTD directly accused the serving jail administration and officials [by registering] a fake case a couple of days ago at the CTD police station, while also including Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act,” explained a jail official who wished to remain anonymous. “The CTD did this because they were recently stopped from conducting an operation inside the jail.”
40% cameras at Karachi jail were nonfunctional when LeJ militants escaped, says CTD official
Following this, the jail administration asked the IG to intervene by writing a letter signed by over two dozen officials and personnel of Central Jail, Karachi. The letter stated that on September 28, an FIR No 157/17 was registered at the CTD police station under sections 201, 186, 353, 109 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act against the present staff of the prison.
“In this connection, it is pointed out that the CTD authorities threatened from time to time to implicate [us] in false cases. They also harassed [us] and registered two more FIRs, numbers 145/17 and 157/17, at CTD police station and FIR No 149/17 at New Town police station against the all staff,” read the letter. “Resultantly, the prison administration is upset, disappointed and shocked as to why they have been implicated in false and fabricated FIRs despite performing our duties. The act of the CTD authorities will have a bad impact upon all the staff as no one will be willing to perform duties in prison and, of course, prisoners affiliated with different banned organisations as well as others will take advantage of the prevailing chaos being instigated by the CTD authorities,” it said.
The letter stated that after the escape of the two Lashkar-e-Jhangvi-associated prisoners the administration had taken drastic efforts for the restoration of prison writ and discipline amongst the prisoners. “It is submitted that the CTD authorities [were] demanding the provision of memory cards, knives, scissors and AJ devices and that the [prison] authorities informed them that the search was carried out by the Rangers and that the above items were lying with them,” stated the letter. It went on to say that the prison officials had written to the Rangers for the provision of the articles.
Prisons DIG suspended over militants' escape
“The prison administration always coordinated with the CTD authorities whenever they desired [something] and never concealed any document or evidence in this connection.”
They refuted the CTD’s claims that they had tortured or threatened any prisoner for their interaction with the CTD. The CTD authorities frequently visited the prison and were allowed to meet any prisoner in separate room, the letter stated. It was questioned how the CTD officials could investigate the case after becoming the complainant in the FIRs.
The prison officials requested the IG to cancel the FIRs or transfer the investigation to another police agency and let the prison administration continue with their work without ‘mental torture’.
Following the letter, the IG transferred the investigation, which will now be conducted by Crime Branch Additional IG Aftab Pathan, according to a notification issued on Saturday. The notification states that AIG Pathan will personally supervise the investigation of the case and depute a responsible officer for an impartial investigation on merit.
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According to an official of the department, only one case has been transferred to AIG Pathan. The case was registered recently because it implicates the present jail officials as well. They are hampering the investigation and it will be clear in court whether they are telling the truth or whether we are right, said the senior official.
Meanwhile, CTD officials, including AIG Sanaullah Abbasi, were unavailable for comments.