Karachi: Over 200 prisoners broke out of a Karachi jail, overpowering guards after being released from their cells following a series of earthquakes. The jailbreak began just before midnight and continued into the early hours of next day after hundreds of prisoners were allowed into the courtyard of the prison because of the tremors.
According to provincial law minister Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar, inmates seized weapons from staff and forced open the main gate after a shootout, managing to evade paramilitary soldiers. The incident resulted in the death of at least one inmate and injuries to three guards wounded, as confirmed by local police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon.
Bukhsh, a private security guard opposite the jail, said that he heard sustained gunfire before the prisoners flee in all directions. Some escapees even entered a nearby apartment complex before being apprehended by police. A visit to the prison revealed shattered glass, damaged electronic equipment and a ransacked room.
Around 80 of the escaped inmates have since been recaptured, stated provincial chief minister Murad Ali Shah. This incident is considered one of Pakistan's largest jailbreaks ever. The prison, located in Karachi's Malir district, houses approximately 6,000 inmates.
