Over 200 Prisoners Escape During Earthquake Chaos at Karachi Prison
More than 200 inmates escaped from a Karachi prison during an earthquake-triggered evacuation late Monday night, in one of the largest jailbreaks Pakistan has seen in a decade. The escape has prompted a sweeping manhunt across the city, while Pakistani officials debate whether the incident was a result of natural disaster or institutional negligence.
According to District Prison Malir Superintendent Arshad Shah, the inmates fled after seizing the opportunity created by chaos during repeated tremors in the region. “Two hundred and sixteen inmates escaped during an evacuation triggered by earthquake tremors,” Shah told reporters on Tuesday. He confirmed that more than 80 fugitives had been recaptured so far, while the search continues for the rest.
Over the past two days, at least 11 earthquakes were recorded in and around Karachi, raising alarm in the city’s aging infrastructure. In response to the seismic activity, authorities at Malir Prison initiated an evacuation to move prisoners out of their barracks for safety. It was during this process that hundreds of inmates gathered near the main gate. Some forced their way through, exploiting the confusion to flee.
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Initially, officials believed that the prisoners had broken through a wall weakened by the quakes. But Sindh Minister for Homeland Security Zia Ud Din Lanjar later clarified, “While initial reports indicated a collapsed prison wall, later updates confirmed that the inmates had escaped through the main gate rather than by breaching any physical structure.”
Lanjar acknowledged the seriousness of the incident but pushed back against claims of staff negligence. “This is not the result of carelessness,” he said. “This happened during a natural disaster.” Nevertheless, he conceded that an investigation was necessary to determine the full scope of what went wrong.
Deputy Inspector General of Prisons Hassan Sehto said approximately 6,000 inmates were in the facility when the incident occurred. “After the earthquake, panic spread among the prisoners,” he said. “They not only broke the wall but also attempted to break the locks.”
The jailbreak resulted in several injuries. Three security personnel were seriously hurt and taken to a private hospital. Five inmates were also injured during the chaos, and one prisoner died, officials confirmed.
Ghulam Nabi Memon, the provincial inspector general of police, visited the prison on Tuesday and addressed reporters. “Malir Prison holds a large number of inmates involved in drug-related cases, many of whom suffer from psychological issues,” he said. “Such individuals are usually easier to track and recapture.” Memon ruled out a premeditated conspiracy behind the escape and said a high-level investigation is underway. He praised the quick action by police and paramilitary Rangers.
This is Pakistan’s most serious prison escape since April 2012, when nearly 400 prisoners, including Taliban fighters, broke out of a jail in Bannu after an assault by more than 150 armed members of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. That attack occurred in northwestern Pakistan near the Afghanistan border, an area long known to harbor extremist groups.
