Prison break: Inmates’ relatives protest delays

FAISALABAD: Relatives of inmates protested against the delay in their release outside the central jail on Sunday. A large number of people gathered outside the central jail at 1 pm awaiting the release of prisoners but jail officials did not release the prisoners until iftar. The protesters blocked the road and shouted slogans against the jail administration for the delay. The protesters said that they had been waiting for the release of their relatives for weeks and when the day finally came the police made them wait until before iftar. “We had been told the men would be released in the afternoon but only the ones who paid the police managed to get their relatives out on time,” said a protester. They said the inmates who bribed the officials were freed on time. After negotiations with Civil Line Circle DSP Naeem Aziz the protesters ended their protest and dispersed.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29^th,  2011.