The dramatic escape, occurring early Tuesday morning, reveals significant vulnerabilities in the prison system and raises questions regarding disaster preparedness.
**Prison Break in Karachi: Over 200 Inmates Escape Following Earthquake**
**Prison Break in Karachi: Over 200 Inmates Escape Following Earthquake**
In a chaotic incident triggered by a powerful earthquake, more than 200 prisoners fled a Karachi jail, with many still on the run as authorities work to recapture them.
In the early hours of Tuesday, a powerful earthquake rattled Karachi, Pakistan, leading to a mass breakout of more than 200 inmates from Malir Jail, the largest prison in the region. The tremors shook the facility, causing panic among thousands of prisoners who believed the building might collapse.
As fear spread throughout the jail, inmates began breaking down doors and locks, shattering windows in a frantic bid to escape. According to police reports, 216 inmates managed to flee, while at least 80 have since been recaptured. Tragically, during the chaos, one prisoner lost his life and two prison officers were injured.
In an attempt to restore order, police fired warning shots, which momentarily quelled the mayhem, causing many inmates to return to their cells. However, the fear of potential building collapse urged others to seize the moment and storm the main gates, leading to the large-scale escape.
Law enforcement is now conducting door-to-door searches in the community, targeting known addresses of escaped inmates to facilitate their recapture. Malir Jail, located in the Sindh province, is notoriously overcrowded, designed for 2,200 inmates but currently housing over 5,000.
In the aftermath of the jailbreak, the provincial prison minister, Ali Hassan Zardari, called for a thorough investigation, emphasizing that anyone found culpable among the prison staff would face disciplinary action. The prison superintendent attributed the incident to a natural disaster rather than a security breach, stating that guards did their best to maintain order amidst the panic.
Meanwhile, families of other inmates have staged protests outside the jail, expressing frustration over postponed visitation rights due to the incident. The government faces mounting pressure to ensure the safety and security of inmates in the wake of this unprecedented event.
As fear spread throughout the jail, inmates began breaking down doors and locks, shattering windows in a frantic bid to escape. According to police reports, 216 inmates managed to flee, while at least 80 have since been recaptured. Tragically, during the chaos, one prisoner lost his life and two prison officers were injured.
In an attempt to restore order, police fired warning shots, which momentarily quelled the mayhem, causing many inmates to return to their cells. However, the fear of potential building collapse urged others to seize the moment and storm the main gates, leading to the large-scale escape.
Law enforcement is now conducting door-to-door searches in the community, targeting known addresses of escaped inmates to facilitate their recapture. Malir Jail, located in the Sindh province, is notoriously overcrowded, designed for 2,200 inmates but currently housing over 5,000.
In the aftermath of the jailbreak, the provincial prison minister, Ali Hassan Zardari, called for a thorough investigation, emphasizing that anyone found culpable among the prison staff would face disciplinary action. The prison superintendent attributed the incident to a natural disaster rather than a security breach, stating that guards did their best to maintain order amidst the panic.
Meanwhile, families of other inmates have staged protests outside the jail, expressing frustration over postponed visitation rights due to the incident. The government faces mounting pressure to ensure the safety and security of inmates in the wake of this unprecedented event.
