Nuristan jail remains without building in 15 years

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): The central jail in eastern Nuristan province has been without a building over the past 15 years and the prisoners are held in mud-made half ruined rooms.

The jail is located in an area largely considered as rural near Paroon, the provincial capital, and besides keeping the inmates, all administration and other affairs are run from the mud-made structure.

Deputy commander of the jail, Col. Samiul Haq, said the prison in the past was used for keeping household animals.

“Animals were kept here previously, but we somehow cleaned and renovated it. However, still tiny parasitic insects exist here. So we give sunbath to our clothes at least thrice a week.”

However, only four prisoners are currently held at the jail after being convicted of different crimes. The jail officials said they spent sleepless nights because every night it was feared the prisoners might escape.

The deputy in-charge of the jail said previously prisoners were kept in the second floor of the two-storey building and they themselves used the ground floor. “But later we built a room on our own expense for the prisoners,” Samiul Haq said.

“Human rights officials come and ask about the situation of the prisoners, but they would never ask about our situation. We have told the governor and we daily remind the police chief about the jail building, but there has been no response.”

Nuristan police chief Brig. Gen. Ghulam Muhiuddin Sarwari blamed the issue’s continuation on former officials. “Officials who previously worked here had neglected the issue of building for the central jail, they even did not try.”

Sarwari said he had been in contact with the Ministry of Interior officials and the construction department and they had promised improving the jail’s situation.

Nuristan provincial council head Sadullah Paindazoy said the people of Nuristan and their representatives had time and again shared the issue with the provincial and central governments during the past 15 years.

He said the provincial government might be more responsible for failing construct a building for the central jail, but the central government had always subjected Nuristan to a step-motherly treatment.

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