Over 200 inmates escape Pakistani prison after earthquake

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Over 200 inmates escaped from a situation successful Pakistan on Monday aft a bid of earthquakes shook the confederate larboard metropolis of Karachi and acceptable disconnected panic, section authorities said.

More than 600 inmates astatine Malir situation were being transferred to different conception of the installation for their information aft the quake erstwhile immoderate attempted to flee, Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar, the interior curate of Sindh province, told reporters Tuesday.

So far, 80 escapees person been rearrested, jailhouse superintendent Arshad Shah told reporters successful Karachi, adding that “efforts are underway to recapture the remaining 136 prisoners.”

One inmate was killed and 3 information officials were wounded successful a shootout during the situation break, The Associated Press reported, citing elder constabulary authoritative Kashif Abbasi.

A breached solid model wrong the prison.Akhtar Soomro / REUTERS

Ghulam Nabi Memon, the Sindh state constabulary chief, said astir of the inmates were facing cause charges and different smaller cases.

Memon said authorities person information connected who precisely has escaped and volition beryllium capable to bring them back.

“There volition beryllium an enquiry to spot wherefore and however this happened,” helium said.

Karachi experienced aggregate mild and shallow earthquakes implicit the past 24 hours up to 3.4 successful magnitude, according to Pakistan’s National Seismic Monitoring Center.

Prison breaks are uncommon successful Pakistan, wherever information has been ramped up since 2013, erstwhile the Pakistani Taliban helped 200 inmates interruption escaped during an onslaught connected a situation successful different province.

Mushtaq Yusufzai reported from Peshawar, Pakistan, and Mithil Aggarwal reported from Hong Kong.