At least 216 prisoners escaped from a Pakistani jail after chaos erupted during a precautionary evacuation following an earthquake in the region.
A precautionary evacuation amid earthquake in Pakistan quickly spiraled into a full-blown jailbreak on Monday night at Karachi’s Malir Jail, where 216 prisoners escaped in the chaos. According to reports from Geo News, the incident unfolded when more than 600 prisoners were evacuated from their barracks after a wave of earthquakes struck the city within 24 hours.
One inmate died during the commotion, while three personnel from the Frontier Corps and one prison staff member sustained injuries.
Jail Superintendent Arshad Shah recounted the turbulent sequence of events, and said, "Amid the chaos, 216 managed to flee." He further revealed that over 80 escapees have already been recaptured, yet more than 135 still remain at large. Intensive search operations are underway.
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A manhunt has been launched to catch the remaining prisoners.
Most serious jailbreak Pakistan witnessed in recent years: Sindh’s Home Minister Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar
Sindh’s Home Minister Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar described the episode as the "most serious jailbreak" Pakistan has witnessed in recent years. He assured that the identities of all escapees are known and that “targeted raids were underway at their residences and adjoining areas.” The minister also confirmed that an official inquiry committee would be constituted to probe the breach.
Pakistan earthquake
According to the Seismic Monitoring Centre of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, Karachi has been rattled by 16 mild earthquakes since Sunday.
Chief Meteorologist Ameer Haider told ARY News that 18 tremors have been recorded in Karachi since Sunday, caused by seismic activity along the Landhi Fault Line. He added that this energy release from the fault line could continue until Wednesday, but the intensity of the tremors will gradually decrease.
(With inputs from agencies)
