Over 200 prisoners break out of Pakistani jail after earthquake panic, says official
Hundreds of prisoners were allowed into the courtyard of the jail due to the tremors, Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar, the provincial law minister, told reporters at the scene.
"There was panic here because of earthquake tremors," said Lanjar, adding that it was hard to control a throng of up to 1,000 people.
The jailbreak began just before midnight on Monday and carried on till the early hours of Tuesday, he said.
Police said the prisoners snatched guns from prison staff, leading to a shootout, and then forced open the main gate.
On Tuesday, a Reuters reporter at the site saw shattered glass and damaged electronic equipment inside the jail. A meeting room, for prisoners to see their families, had been ransacked. Anxious family members gathered outside the jail on Tuesday.
It was one of the largest jailbreaks ever in Pakistan, Lanjar said. The prison in the Malir district of Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city, is in a poor residential and industrial neighbourhood.
Prisoners ran through the area through the night, some barefoot, chased by police, with police managing to round some up into police vans, local TV footage showed.
Provincial police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon said that most of the inmates had been involved in small-time crimes like drug addiction.
At least one prisoner was killed in the shooting, which also wounded three prison staff, he said.
Murad Ali Shah, the provincial chief minister, said that around 80 prisoners had so far been caught, adding that it was a mistake for the prison authorities to have allowed the inmates out of their cells. He warned those still at large to hand themselves in, or face a serious charge for breaking out.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Asia News Network
7 days ago
- Asia News Network
Pakistan Interior Minister discusses counterterrorism in Kabul meeting with Afghan counterpart
July 21, 2025 ISLAMABAD – Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday discussed counterterrorism efforts in a meeting with his Afghan counterpart Sirajuddin Haqqani in Kabul. The visit comes after a series of steps between both nations to improve ties, such as the revival of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) and the upgrading of each country's diplomats from the rank of chargé d'affaires to ambassador. Both countries also held the inaugural round of the Additional Secretary-Level Mechanism talks earlier in the month. 'Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi holds an important meeting with his Afghan counterpart Sirajuddin Haqqani,' the Interior Ministry said in a post on X. Naqvi was warmly welcomed by interim Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani upon arrival at the Afghan Ministry of Interior, the post said. 'Discussion on bilateral relations, particularly counter-terrorism, infiltration, and the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban [Pakistan],' took place, according to the interior ministry. Effective management of the Pak-Afghan border, prevention of narcotics, and mechanisms for regulating cross-border movement were also discussed, the post said. 'Terrorist organisations are causing chaos and instability; We must stop them together,' Naqvi was quoted as having said to his counterpart. 'Pakistan has selflessly hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades; the doors are open for the legal entry of Afghan citizens,' the interior minister said. The process of repatriation of Afghan citizens illegally residing in Pakistan was also a subject of the conversation between Naqvi and Haqqani. Afghanistan's Senior Deputy Interior Minister Ibrahim Sardar, Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq, Federal Interior Secretary Khurram Agha and other senior diplomatic officials were there as part of the country's delegation. Officials from the Afghan Ministry of Interior were also present on the occasion. Earlier in the day, Naqvi arrived in Kabul on a day-long visit to Afghanistan, state-run Radio Pakistan reported. On his arrival at the Kabul airport, Naqvi was received by Afghan Interim Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Nabi Omari. Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities over the past year, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the proscribed TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022. Earlier in the week, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan signed the Framework Agreement on the Joint Feasibility Study for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Project in Kabul. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had made the announcement in a post on X from Kabul, where he had arrived on a day-long visit for the signing. On Wednesday, the UN special representative for Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, proposed a 'prioritised' regional dialogue with Pakistan, Iran and Central Asian states to halt the disorderly return of Afghans and uphold the principle of voluntary, dignified and safe repatriation. On Friday, security forces foiled PTV News reported.
CNA
7 days ago
- CNA
Pakistan arrests 11 suspects after viral video of couple shot dead in 'honour killing'
QUETTA, Pakistan: Pakistan has arrested 11 suspects after a video emerged on social media of a woman and a man being shot and killed for marrying against the wishes of their families, in a so-called honour killing, authorities said. The couple, who were not identified, were shot dead on the orders of a local tribal council last month in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, according to provincial authorities, who investigated after the video went viral. Eleven suspects have been arrested, the provincial chief minister, Sarfraz Bugti, said in a statement on Monday (Jul 21), hours after he announced that the location and people in the video had been identified. A case has been registered against all those involved, Bugti said, adding that they will be prosecuted. The video shows people in a desert, and some pickup trucks and SUVs in which they had apparently been driven there. The woman is given a copy of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, and she then tells a man: "Come walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me." The man then follows her for a few steps. A local police official said the woman did not cry or seek mercy. "You are allowed only to shoot me. Nothing more than that," the woman says in the regional Brahavi language, translated by the official. It was not clear what she meant by "nothing more than that". The man, who had followed her, then aimed a pistol at her as she turned her back to the shooter. The woman, wrapped in a shawl, stood still as shots were fired. She remained standing after two shots, delivered from close range, dropping to the ground after the third shot. That is followed by a series of gunshots. The footage then shows a bloodied man lying on the ground, close to the woman's body. Then, men are shown shooting at both the bodies. Reuters could not independently verify the authenticity of the video. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said that in 2024, there were at least 405 "honour killings", criticising the authorities for failing to stamp out these crimes. Most victims are women, and the killings are usually carried out by relatives professing to defend their family's reputation, human rights groups say.
CNA
19-07-2025
- CNA
Trump says he thinks 5 jets were shot down in India-Pakistan hostilities
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Friday (Jul 18) up to five jets were shot down during recent India-Pakistan hostilities that began after an April militant attack in India-administered Kashmir, with the situation calming after a ceasefire in May. Trump, who made his remarks at a dinner with some Republican US lawmakers at the White House, did not specify which side's jets he was referring to. "In fact, planes were being shot out of the air. Five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down actually," Trump said while talking about the India-Pakistan hostilities, without elaborating or providing further detail. Pakistan claimed it had downed five Indian planes in air-to-air combat. India's highest-ranking general said in late May that India switched tactics after suffering losses in the air on the first day of hostilities and established an advantage before a ceasefire was announced three days later. India also claimed it had downed "a few planes" of Pakistan. Islamabad denied suffering any losses of planes but acknowledged its air bases suffered hits. Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for the ceasefire between India and Pakistan that he announced on social media on May 10 after Washington held talks with both sides. India has differed with Trump's claims that it resulted from his intervention and his threats to sever trade talks. India's position has been that New Delhi and Islamabad must resolve their problems directly and with no outside involvement. India is an increasingly important US partner in Washington's effort to counter China's influence in Asia, while Pakistan is a US ally. The April attack in India-administered Kashmir killed 26 men and sparked heavy fighting between the nuclear-armed Asian neighbours in the latest escalation of a decades-old rivalry. New Delhi blamed the attack on Pakistan, which denied responsibility while calling for a neutral investigation. Washington condemned the attack but did not directly blame Islamabad. On May 7, Indian jets bombed sites across the border that New Delhi described as "terrorist infrastructure", setting off an exchange of attacks between the two countries by fighter jets, missiles, drones, and artillery that killed dozens until the ceasefire was reached.
