KARACHI: More than 200 inmates escaped from Karachi’s Malir Jail early Tuesday morning, taking advantage of chaos triggered by earthquake tremors. Authorities have since recaptured at least 80 of the escapees, while over 135 remain at large.
The jailbreak occurred following sudden seismic activity, which led to panic and a riot inside the prison. Amid the confusion, several inmates scaled the walls and fled into nearby neighborhoods. Gunfire reportedly erupted during the unrest, resulting in the death of one prisoner and injuries to three others.
Security personnel, including Rangers, police, and Frontier Corps (FC) forces, responded quickly. Five security officers—three of them from the FC—were seriously injured and rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
DIG Jail Affairs Hassan Sahito confirmed that security forces had regained full control of the prison. He stated that the inmates exploited the situation caused by the earthquake but clarified that no high-risk or dangerous criminals were among the escapees.
Karachi’s Additional Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Javed Alam Odho, who visited the site, noted that the majority of those who escaped were serving sentences for minor offenses and that the incident did not result in major structural damage.
Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar conducted an emergency visit to the jail and was briefed by SSP Malir Kashif Abbasi. Lanjar confirmed that the prison walls were not breached; instead, the mass escape stemmed from internal disorder as over 800 inmates left their barracks during the tremors.
He assured the public that law enforcement agencies are conducting targeted raids at the homes of the escaped inmates to ensure their swift recapture.
Sindh Minister for Works, Services, and Jail Department, Ali Hassan Zardari, also took notice of the incident and requested a detailed report from the Inspector General and Deputy Inspector General of Prisons.
Extensive search and rescue operations are underway in areas surrounding the jail, including Landhi, Shah Faisal Colony, and Malir. These regions had experienced at least seven low-intensity earthquakes over a 24-hour span leading up to Monday afternoon.
In the wake of the jailbreak, jail authorities have suspended all family visitations, resulting in a large crowd of worried relatives gathered outside the facility. Officials confirmed that no prisoners were allowed visits on Tuesday due to security concerns.
As operations continue, the situation around Malir Jail remains tense, with a heavy presence of law enforcement agencies—including FC, Special Security Unit, Rangers, and police—stationed at and around the prison.
