In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa District Charsadda Sub Jail, the prison administration, with the cooperation of the Sports Department, organized various sports events for the first time on Tuesday. These included tug-of-war between prisoners and prison staff, sack races, food competitions, traditional dance, ludo, and musical chairs competitions.
The sports competitions were held in the same arena, but the jail police and hawalatis competed against their rivals individually. The inmates were cheering enthusiastically, applauding the participants, and encouraging them to challenge the opposition with courage. However, success in the games depended on skill and strategy.
Two teams of hawalatis were formed for the tug-of-war competition, with one team led by Assistant Superintendent Jahangir Khan and the other by Jail Chief Sajawal Khan. Sajawal Khan's team won the trophy by defeating Jahangir Khan's team.
The food competition featured amusing scenes where one chocolate, two bananas, three chips, two juices, and two cakes were placed in front of each player. Within about three minutes, all the food was gone, with Fazil Shah from the prison staff and Mohammad Irfan from the inmates claiming the trophy.
Six prisoners participated in the sack race. As soon as the bell rang, the athletes started running. Two prisoners stumbled and fell, while Bilal Jan successfully reached the finish line. Muhammad Wasim won the traditional game and received a prize.
In the musical chairs game between the prison staff, Jail Chief Sajawal Khan and police officer Tahir Khan won first place. Tahir Khan also excelled in the traditional dance, while Bilal Jan, a prisoner, won the ludo competition after defeating three opponents.
Muhammad Irfan, who has been in jail for the past five months, told TNN that spending one moment in jail without any activity feels like a year, but participating in sports made him very happy. He said, "My friends and I are very happy today. It feels like Eid. I've been behind bars for five months, but today I realized we are seen as human beings, not just prisoners."
Muhammad Wasim, the winner of the culture competition, expressed his joy as he lifted a heavy man on his shoulders and ran, achieving his goal within the stipulated time. He said, "We didn't know how to enjoy and feel happy in sports. If I don't go out of prison and work hard in sports, it will be much better than committing crimes. I will actively participate in such positive activities and sports after getting out of jail."
Charsadda Jail covers about 11 kanals and currently holds around 320 prisoners, although it has a capacity for only 220 people.
Syed Muhammad Salman, Superintendent of Charsadda Jail, told TNN that life behind bars is a consequence of committing a crime, but serving time in prison is meant to reform the inmate. "These are human beings too, and they have rights according to the law. With today's ceremony, we want to convey the message that the human rights of prisoners are respected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa."
The Jail Superintendent further stated that they have organized a six-month education and training course for uneducated convicts within the jail. This short course enables them to read and write. "Creating a positive environment within the prison is very important to help prisoners think positively and plan for a brighter future," he said.
After distributing prizes to the winners, Sports Department Officer Mishal Malik told TNN that the Sports Department usually organizes events for the public but also aims to keep inmates physically and mentally healthy inside the jail. "The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has directed us to involve all segments of society in recreational activities," she said.
The event concluded with Pashto music and Qawali, where the prisoners collectively enjoyed themselves by performing traditional dances.