New inmates fill Christian prisoners' space for worship
by Sheraz Khurram Khan
March 26, 2007
RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- The Christian inmates of Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on Wednesday, March 21, did not take their meals as a token of protest against the filling of their worship space in the jail by recent flux of detainees, ANS has learnt. The Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan (SLMP) has alleged that the jail became overcrowded after the Police dumped many people in it who it said were taking part in the protests against suspension of Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
The Chief Justice was suspended on March 9 on charges of abouse of office. The incident sparked unprecedented constitutional crisis in the country. Lawyers' fraternity has been condemning suspension of the Chief Justice from the day one. The lawyers' protests became more poignant as opposition parties of the country have also waded into the row.
In its news release the ministry said that instead of resolving the Christian inmates problems, the Jail Superintendent Saif Ullah Gondal tried to smother the prisoners' demand by rebuking them.
Citing unnamed sources the ministry said that the Christian prisoners were facing persecution for their demand to offer prayers in assembly.
It said when the Chief Coordinator of the ministry, Sohail Johnson contacted Deputy Superintendent of the jail, Noor-ul-Hassan Bhagela to learn about the situation he was told that the Christian prisoners were not facing any problem in offering prayers in a congregation.
The Christian prisoners would continue to stage hunger strike until their demand for offering prayers in assembly was heeded, it said.
© 2007 ASSIST News Service, used with permission.
