By Nasir Aijaz
KARACHI: Around 216 prisoners, including drug addicts and Afghan refugees, escaped from a jail in Karachi, the capital city of southern Sindh province of Pakistan, in a dramatic incident on Monday night.
The escape occurred amid chaos reportedly triggered by a series of tremors in the city. The prisoners, many of whom were already outside their barracks, took advantage of the confusion and overwhelmed jail staff, leading to a violent standoff.
Heavy firing was reported both inside and around the Malir District Jail premises. Several routes, including the National Highway, were temporarily closed as police and Rangers cordoned off the area.
According to reports, more than 600 prisoners were seated outside their barracks due to internal jail procedures when the tremors occurred.
Prison authorities opened fire in an attempt to regain control. During the confrontation, at least five security personnel, including two Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, sustained injuries.
One prisoner was killed and three others were injured. On Tuesday morning, more than 80 of the escaped inmates had been rearrested during search operations.
While the authorities have not confirmed a direct link between the tremors and the jail break, the timing has raised eyebrows. Karachi experienced multiple mild earthquakes the same day.
