Preventive measures: Army marches into Central Jail for routine exercise

Prison official claims otherwise, says they have received a threat from the Taliban.

PESHAWAR: There was a lot of activity around Central Jail Peshawar on Thursday as a large contingent of the Pakistan Army entered the premises to carry out a search operation. They had sniffer dogs and explosive detectors with them.

While talking to The Express Tribune, a jail official said the contingent had arrived last night but were not given permission to enter.

“Two hours later, however, they were allowed inside and since then have taken over the building,” he said. “They spent most of Wednesday night and Thursday searching the area.” He added that the plaza opposite the prison building in Shoba Chowk was also under the army’s control and was being used to monitor the jail.

According to the jail official, there were rumours that the army had seized explosives from inside the building but the prison authorities had not seen anything yet. He claimed that they were told the army was there for a jailbreak precautionary exercise and nothing more.

“They have checked every barrack and body searched the prisoners,” said the official. “The army has practically taken over the jail.”

The official, however, believes that this might have something to do with a phone call the authorities received earlier. “Apparently, the prison authorities received a phone call from the Taliban,” he said. “They said that they would offer Friday prayers in the main prison building, release their men and escape.”

At the moment, the Central Jail in Pes hawar is home to more than 48 men from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Dr Shakil Afridi, 200 men from Lashkar-e-Islam and Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi’s chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2014.