More than 200 prisoners escaped from a Karachi jail after officials allowed inmates to leave their cells during a series of earthquake tremors, authorities confirmed on Tuesday
.
Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar, Sindh’s provincial law minister, said the chaos began when hundreds of inmates were let into the courtyard of the Malir district prison late Monday night to avoid potential harm from the tremors. However, the situation quickly spiraled out of control.
“There was panic here because of the earthquake tremors,” Lanjar explained. “It became impossible to control a crowd of nearly 1,000 inmates.”
The jailbreak unfolded just before midnight and continued into the early hours of Tuesday. According to police, the prisoners overpowered guards, snatched firearms, and forced open the prison’s main gate, resulting in a shootout.
A Reuters reporter visiting the site on Tuesday observed broken glass, ransacked areas including the family meeting room, and damaged electronic equipment inside the prison. Tension was high as worried relatives gathered outside the facility.
Lanjar described the incident as one of the largest jailbreaks in Pakistan’s history.
Footage circulating locally showed inmates fleeing barefoot through nearby neighborhoods as police gave chase. Some escapees were eventually rounded up and loaded into police vans.
Ghulam Nabi Memon, the provincial police chief, said most of the escaped inmates were held for petty offenses such as drug use. He confirmed that one prisoner was killed in the exchange of gunfire, and three prison staff were injured.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah stated that approximately 80 escapees had been recaptured so far. He admitted that allowing inmates out of their cells during the tremors was a critical mistake and warned the remaining fugitives to surrender or face additional charges for escape.
Follow Us on Facebook – @LadunLiadi; Instagram – @LadunLiadi; Twitter – @LadunLiadi; Youtube – @LadunLiadiTV for updates
Oh dear!