Lahore, July 12
Fortysix of the 121 Indians detained at Kot Lakhpat Central Jail here will soon be handed over to the Indian authorities at the Wagah check post, a Pakistani newspaper said today.
The Daily Times quoted Rana Muhammad Ijaz, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Law and Human Rights, as saying that the Punjab Government had issued no-objection certificates to the prisoners “most of whom were Sikhs” and the federal government was now deliberating the issue.
Meanwhile, the Sikh detainees went on a fast on Saturday demanding their immediate release. They also demanded that they be allowed to perform their religious ceremonies, “especially kara parshad” in prison. Some prisoners also complained that the jail authorities were not providing them basic necessities like a balanced diet and medicines.
They ended their strike yesterday after Rana Ijaz assured them that they would be released soon.
Mian Javed Latif, Jail Superintendent, said Rs 2.9 million from the jail’s budget had been allocated for prisoners to buy items for daily use. The prison authorities said Sikh prisoners were allowed to keep religious books.
