In a dramatic turn of events, over 200 inmates escaped from Karachi’s Malir District Jail on June 2, 2025, after a series of mild earthquakes prompted a precautionary evacuation of the facility. The incident has raised serious concerns about prison security protocols during natural disasters.
According to police officials, the jailbreak occurred when inmates were temporarily moved out of their cells following tremors measuring between 2.6 and 3.4 in magnitude. During the evacuation, a group of prisoners overpowered guards, seized weapons, and initiated a mass escape. In total, 216 inmates fled the facility. A subsequent shootout resulted in the death of one prisoner and injuries to three security personnel.
As of June 3, authorities have recaptured 78 of the escaped inmates. Sindh’s Home Minister, Ziaul Hassan, confirmed that none of the escapees were convicted militants. A manhunt is underway to apprehend the remaining fugitives, with police conducting raids and utilizing mosque loudspeakers to alert local residents.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah urged the escapees to surrender voluntarily, warning that failure to do so could result in terrorism charges. He emphasized that the inmates had only been involved in minor crimes prior to the escape.
Malir District Jail, one of the largest prisons in Sindh, was housing over 4,000 inmates despite being designed to accommodate around 1,591. The facility has faced longstanding issues related to overcrowding, outdated infrastructure, and insufficient security measures.
This incident is one of the most significant prison breaks in Pakistan since 2013, when the Pakistani Taliban freed more than 200 inmates in an attack on a prison in Dera Ismail Khan.
The jailbreak has prompted calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the escape and the implementation of improved security measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Authorities continue to search for the remaining escapees and are urging anyone with information to come forward.
