18 inmates in KP jails suffering from AIDS, National Assembly told

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly was informed on Monday that 18 inmates suffering from HIV were imprisoned at different jails in Khyber Pakhtonkhwa, ARY News reported.

In its detailed reply to the Lower House, the Interior Ministry said six inmates in Peshawar jails, two in Mardan, one each in Timergara, and Abbottabad were suffering from AIDS. The reply further added that four prisoners at Swabi judicial lock-up were also suffering from AIDS.

To another question by a legislator regarding an agreement between the government and protesters in Islamabad in 2018, the ministry said the Punjab government spoke to the protesters belonging to a religious party and the government for talks and resolve the matter.

Read: ‘Malir jail is overflowing with inmates’

The ministry said it was decided in an agreement that a legal action would be taken if any death was reported due to the protest. “All those arrested during the protest would be released – it had been decided,” the interior ministry said in its reply.

The Sindh government had faced a similar set of questions pertaining to inmates and their illnesses last week put up by a lawmaker during the proceedings.

The Sindh Assembly was told on Thursday that 171 inmates in Karachi jail and 1200 in Hyderabad were suffering from hepatitis. He said the same disease was found in 42 prisoners in Sukkur, 46 Larkana, eight Khairpur, while 14 female prisoners also suffering from diseases.

During a question hour session in the House, Sindh Minister for Works and Services Nasir Hussain Shah said prisoners were given 2800 to 3300 kilograms food in jails. The food provided to inmates is in accordance with health standards prescribed by the World Health Organisation.