In a dramatic turn of events, more than 200 inmates escaped from Karachi’s Malir Jail after a series of mild earthquakes struck the city earlier this week. The tremors triggered panic inside the prison, providing the perfect opportunity for prisoners to break free amid the confusion. Officials have confirmed that at least 135 escapees remain at large as search operations continue.
The jailbreak happened on late Monday night after two minor tremors, 2.6 and 2.8 on the Richter scale, struck northeast of Malir at a depth of 40 km. Inmates from Circles 4 and 5 were evacuated from their barracks as a precautionary measure by Jail Superintendent Arshad Shah, in which more than 600 inmates were shifted out of their cells.
“Amid the chaos, 216 prisoners managed to escape,” Shah said to Geo News. One prisoner is said to have died in the process, and a number of others — including jail officials and three Frontier Corps personnel — were injured.
The social media showed video footage of heavy gunfire from the vicinity of Malir Jail and prisoners running through adjacent roads. One of the re-arrested prisoners, Siraj, reported to journalists:
“When the quake hit, everyone started breaking the gates. Many ran off. I escaped during the panic but was later re-arrested.”
: पाकिस्तान के कराची से बड़ी खबर, कराची की मालिर जेल में भारी गोलीबारी |
— Zee News (@ZeeNews)
Police sources initially reported that prisoners escaped by breaching the outer wall of the jail, which had been weakened by the tremors. Home Minister of Sindh Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar presented a differing version, claiming the escape occurred when 700 to 1,000 prisoners converged on the main gate during the evacuation. In the chaos, about 100 prisoners opened the gate and escaped.
Lanjar characterised the jailbreak as the most dangerous in recent memory and suggested probable negligence on the part of staff. There will be a high-level inquiry committee — comprising members of the police and other government departments — that will examine the incident.
Malir Jail has a significant number of inmates arrested on drug-related offenses, with many reportedly suffering from psychological ailments, Sindh Inspector General Ghulam Nabi Memon has said. These, along with the structural weaknesses and fear caused by the tremors, were responsible for the simplicity of the escape.
Karachi has witnessed 16 weak earthquakes since Sunday, with a few located around the Malir area. The recent jolts created general panic throughout the city, but the episode at Malir Jail is still the most severe reported so far.
Security has been bolstered in search operations, and security procedures at all the state correctional institutions in the province are under scrutiny. More information is to be expected as the inquiry continues.
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