Mufti Kifayatullah goes on hunger strike in jail

HARIPUR: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) leader Mufti Kifayatullah went on hunger strike against the doctors and jail administration for delaying his shifting to hospital for his eye surgery, family and official sources said on Thursday.

Mufti Kifayatullah, who is also a former MPA, has been in Haripur jail under 3 MPO after his arrest from his seminary on April 14.

According to family sources, Mufti had developed some eyesight problems and the doctor had recommended his surgery at the DHQ Hospital, Haripur.

However, they alleged, the in-charge doctor of jail hospital, Dr Ayaz, and jail administration used delaying tactics due to which the loss of the eyesight was feared.

They said that in reaction Mufti Kifayatullah went on hunger strike from Thursday morning and announced to continue his strike against the behaviour of the doctor and jail administration.

He said that the party workers were angry over the alleged maltreatment of the jail administration and would stage protests across Hazara if Mufti Kifayatullah was not shifted to the hospital for the eye surgery.

Meanwhile, the jail administration confirmed the hunger strike by the JUI-F’s leader but rejected the allegations that he was being denied treatment deliberately.

The official sources said that there was a rule for sending jail inmates out in the public sector hospital, adding, the recommendation of the specialist concerned was required and then the in-charge of jail hospital makes a request to the superintendent jail to talk to the police for arranging security.

But in Mufti’s case, the sources said, the in-charge doctor of Haripur jail had delayed the process, which prompted the JUIF leader to observe a strike.

The sources said that the jail administration had held negotiations with the JUI-F leader and was optimistic that he would call off the strike very soon.