Petitioner to approach jail authorities for home-cooked food

Court says jail superintendent will decide issue under the jail rules within three days

LAHORE: A district and sessions judge directed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Punjab president Rana Sanaullah’s lawyer to approach the superintendent district jail for his petition on the provision of home-cooked food in jail.

Judge Qaiser Nazir Butt also mentioned in his order that if the petition was moved to the superintendent jail for the said purpose, he (jail superintendent) would decide the same under the jail rules within three days.

The petition was filed through Advocate Syed Farhad Ali Shah who implored the court that his client Rana Sanaullah was a heart and diabetic patient who needs home-cooked food rather than those prepared in jail without bothering the patients.

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He quoted prison rules 375 contending any under trial prisoner could obtain food from a private source. He contended that when rules were allowing obtaining food from outside the jail then why the home-cooked food is being restrained.

In its report, the district jail authority submitted in court that Sanaullah was being served food in accordance with his health issues. It was further mentioned in the jail report that Sanaullah was also being medically examined daily and was in good health. While the lawyer implored the court that his client’s health was not good and jail authorities are directed to allow home-cooked food for him.

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After hearing arguments, Session judge Qaisar Nazir Butt directed Sanaullah’s lawyer to approach first the jail authority while the jail authority is directed to decide the matter within three days. 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2019.