LAHORE - Ousted prime minister and PML-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif is ‘still enjoying better-class’ with homemade food and an air-conditioner in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat prison.
A source in the Punjab Prison Department on Thursday disclosed to The Nation that jail authorities were bound to obey orders of the provincial government. “But, so far, no facility has been withdrawn. The former PM is being provided home-made food with a round-the-clock air-conditioner in his cell,” the official said, requesting his name not be mentioned.
The official further claimed that jail administration had not received any orders from the government regarding withdrawal of ‘special facilities’ being provided to the former PM.
On the other hand, some local TV channels on Thursday claimed that the Punjab government had directed Inspector General Prisons Shahid Saleem Baig to remove the air-conditioner installed in the cell of the former prime minister. Reportedly, a letter sent to the prison department by the home department on July 17 says, “Following the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, no preferential treatment should be given to the criminals and money launderers in the prisons in Punjab.” The IG (Prisons) was also directed to take necessary action in the matter immediately and send back the compliance report within three days.
Addressing the Pakistani community in the US on Sunday, PM Imran Khan had announced withdrawal of special facilities including air-conditioner and TV set from jailed politicians including Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.
Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz expressed anger over the statement and warned that this action would be equivalent to putting the life of her father in danger.
According to officials, an air-conditioner, LCD and three servants had been provided to the PML-N leader who was living in a small but separate prison cell in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail. Since heavy jammers are installed around the jail premises, mobile phones do not work there. Like other prisoners, the ex-PM is entitled to use landline phone set to make a few call daily but he never availed this facility.
According to sources in the Prison Department, the three-time prime minister is served homemade food twice a day. The food is supplied to jail on a special vehicle by the Sharif family. The food is served in the morning and again in the afternoon.
Tens of thousands of prisoners are languishing in Punjab’s overcrowded jails and majority of them are not provided even ceiling fans during summer. The jail authorities provide meal to prisoners twice a day.
Many among the jail population are suffering from various diseases because of substandard food and poor sanitary conditions.
Sharif has been enjoying better-class in jail with facilities like bed, chair, newspapers, and TV. He is allowed, once in a week, to meet his relatives and friends. Thursday is fixed for Nawaz’s visitors by jail authorities.
The Islamabad Accountability Court had handed seven years in prison to former PM Nawaz Sharif on corruption charges on December 24 last year.