BAJAUR: The district administration has directed the officials of district jail to ensure supply of uninterrupted electricity to the prisoners.

The additional deputy commissioner, Ali Raza, visited the prison on Friday evening after social media reported suspension of power supply to the jail and hunger strike by protesters.

He was accompanied by officials of police, health and education department by local head of Tribal Electric Supply Company (Tesco) and a senior lawyer.

The visiting team was told by the jail management that the prison had a proper electricity line but the power was suspended owing to loadshedding. The jail superintendent also informed the visiting team that the power suspended for several hours.

Sources said that the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system in the jail was not functioning after developing a fault. They said that the visiting team found that a power generator in the jail had also been nonfunctional for the past few weeks owing to lack of fuel.

The jail authorities told the officials that they had sought a special transmission line from Tesco for the jail few months ago to ensure smooth supply of electricity to the prison.

Sources said that the additional deputy commissioner expressed his displeasure over the faulty UPS and power generator in the jail. He directed the jail management to make both the equipment functional with immediate effect.

They said that Mr Raza also directed the local head of Tesco to arrange a special transmission line for the jail from the grid station, located just a single furlong away from the prison, as soon as possible.

They said that he also met with prisoners, who ended their hunger strike on his request. They added that the visiting official assured the inmates that he would visit the jail once a week to ensure the availability of basic facilities to them. Correspondent