Cell phones in prison!

Daily Times, May 14, 2006
70 cell phones seized from Adiala Jail prisoners
By Shahzad Malik

RAWALPINDI: Adiala Jail officials have seized over 70 mobile phones from prisoners following a grand search.

The authorities said that prisoners such as drug traffickers were still running their business using the cell phones to contact their accomplices outside the prison.

Prison officials launched the search after receiving reports that drug traffickers were contacting their accomplices from prison on mobile phones. A thorough search was launched of the prisoners’ possessions in which more than 70 mobile phones were seized. Daily Times has learnt that drugs were being trafficked inside the prison usually by under-trial prisoners. Sources said that there were approximately 500 mobile phones in the possession of prisoners of which the authorities had managed to seize just 70. Jail Superintendent Tariq Mehmood Khan Babar told Daily Times that activities of drug traffickers in the prison had been minimised and more raids would be conducted to seize all mobile phones from the prisoners.

He said some prisoners had tried to hinder the search but the police had foiled their efforts. He added that he had reactivated workshops on tailoring and electrical work after three years, where nearly 150 under-trail and convicted juveniles were receiving training so that they could find employment upon their release. He said that prisoners were also receiving education inside the prison with assistance from the Turkish Embassy and some non-governmental organisations.

He said the prisoners were also taught the Holy Quran. He said that children of 227 women prisoners had been enrolled in a school for children of prison staff.