Prisoners Take Over Larkana Jail After Taking 10 Officials Hostage

A crisis situation is unfolding at the Larkana Central Jail as prisoners have taken prison officials as hostages as a protest against the transfer of their fellow inmates to other jails.

According to details, hundreds of prisoners took 10 jail officials as hostages on 4 February after they relocated 70 prisoners to different prisons of the district on account of administrative challenges.

While the hostages have been locked up in a cell since then, the jail management has held several rounds of talks with the protestors to resolve the hostage situation. However, all talks ended in vain as the prisoners denied to let the hostages go until the return of their fellow inmates.

They have also refused to further negotiate with the jail management and have demanded to directly negotiate with IG Sindh Prisons, Kazi Nazir Ahmed.

Speaking in this regard, Deputy Superintendent at Larkana Central Jail, Maula Baksh Sehto, said that the prison has a capacity of 600 inmates but over 1,000 prisoners are kept there and 70 low-profile prisoners were shifted to reduce overcrowding.

Superintendent at Larkana Central Jail, Ashfaq Ahmed Kalwar, said that the IG Sindh Prisons has been informed about the demand of the protestors, hoping that a breakthrough in negotiations will be reached soon.