A startling revelation has come to light that prisoners of the high-security zone central Adyala jail have easy access to drugs. An organised gang is supplying drugs inside the prison.
In the first phase of the investigation two wardens, Muhammad Amjad and Saleem Haider, deputed inside the jail, were caught red-handed and suspended for 90 days. They used to hide drugs inside socks and underwear and smuggle them into the jail. A case has been registered against one, while a written response has been sought from the other who was caught red-handed with a small quantity of drugs.
The prison authorities learnt that lower staff were involved in smuggling drugs into the jail as they entered and left the prison without screening and checks.
The jail authorities conducted a surprise check and searched warden Muhammad Amjad's room, and found hashish in his suitcase. On interrogation, the warden said that warden Saleem Haider was his accomplice in the racket. The authorities searched Haider’s personal belongings and recovered a small amount of hashish from it.
The jail authorities said Muhammad Amjad not only confessed to smuggling drugs into the prison but to supplying drugs by hiding them in his socks and underwear, and sell it at high prices. The sources shared that a single narcotic-laced cigarette was sold for Rs1,000 in jail, which was Rs900 higher than outside.
On an application moved by Assistant Superintendent Saqib Ameen, the jail authorities registered case number 757/21 in Saddar Baroni police station. The case states jail warden Muhammad Amjad was found in possession of 114 grammes of hashish found during a search of his suitcase. Saddar Baroni police took the jail warden into its custody and dispatched the drugs to Lahore for forensic analysis.
A joint investigation team will be formed to interrogate the two wardens to bust the network involved in the supply of drugs in Adyala jail.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 2nd, 2021.
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