What happens when an earthquake strikes—and you’re behind bars? In Karachi’s Malir Jail, chaos.
More than 200 prisoners escaped early Tuesday after tremors shook the overcrowded prison.
The tremors prompted panic, fear, and ultimately, a jailbreak.
“Inmates started shouting around midnight, terrified the building would collapse,” one prison superintendent told the BBC.
The fear quickly turned violent.
Doors and windows were smashed, and prisoners poured toward the main gate.
While many returned to their cells after warning shots were fired, 216 didn’t look back.
Police say 80 escapees have been caught, one prisoner died during the chaos, and two officers were injured.
What’s The Response?
The hunt for the remaining 130-plus fugitives is now underway, with police knocking on doors across the city.
Malir Jail, meant for 2,200 inmates, is currently crammed with more than 5,000.
That pressure exploded when the quake hit.
While some blame security lapses, prison officials insist: “It’s not a failure—it’s a natural disaster.”
Meanwhile, outside the jail, families gathered in protest.
With visitation suspended, tensions are rising.
As Sindh’s prison minister launches an investigation, one thing’s clear.
When fear meets overcrowding and disaster, even locked doors can’t hold.
