KABUL (Pajhwok): Dozens of prisoners were freed from notorious Pul-i-Charkhi jail on the eastern outskirts Kabul on Wednesday, with some alleging drugs were sold inside the prison.
About 112 prisoners who had served most part of their sentences were released in compliance with a presidential decree issued on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Haji Naqibullah, one of the released prisoners, hailing from central Logar province, told Pajhwok Afghan News that he had been sentenced to 14 months in jail for a traffic accident and was released today after spending only five months behind bars.
He said he had never seen heroin, shisha and opium in life, but observed them inside the prison where he said most of the prisoners were addicted to drugs.
The former convict said there were many individuals who were taking drugs for the first time. “During my detention period, I met many prisoners who were not addicts but later they started using drugs.”
Naqibullah quoted the addicted prisoners as telling him that they purchased drugs from Bashi, a prisoners’ representative, who received the substances from a prison guard.
Expressing concern over the prisoners’ situation, he said the government should take the issue serious and prevent selling of drugs inside the prison.
Farhad, another released prisoner, said two inmates in their cell started using drugs inside the prison. He claimed to have seen many individuals becoming addicts inside the prison.
Farooq, yet another freed prisoner, said: “Police have agents inside the prison who are used for selling drugs.”
However, Brig. Gen. Mohammad Tawab Ahmadzai, Pul-i-Charkhi Prison commander, rejected claims as baseless that prison guards supplied drugs to inmates.
“In the past, drugs were sold inside the prison but our firm stance and efforts resulted in bringing it down to the minimum level.”
He said visiting family members of prisoners had a role in bringing the drugs in. “We have arrested many such people and have handed them over the judicial organs.” He said the lack of scanners at the prison helped prisoners’ attendees bring the drugs inside the prison.
However, Abdul Saboor, who was visiting his imprisoned brother, said: “Attendants cannot even carry even a small pin secretly to the prison; it is just an excuse to hide the reality, attendees can’t do this.”
He claimed drugs were brought inside the Pul-i-Charkhi jail by security personnel in cooperation with some prisoners.
Pul-i-Charkhi prison is one of Afghanistan’s biggest jails, currently holding 9,614 prisoners, according to officials.
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