Two senior Central Jail officials in Karachi were arrested on Thursday over alleged obstruction of the investigation of a jailbreak involving two high-profile militants in June.

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested Central Jail Superintendent Ghulam Murtaza Shaikh and Assistant Superintendent Abdul Rehman Shaikh, CTD Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Amir Farooqi said, over a range of charges from alleged destruction of evidence to threatening witnesses.

DIG Farooqi, who was handling the jailbreak investigation, said the accused jailers were creating hindrances into the investigation of the two militants linked to the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi ─ Mumtaz, alias Firaun, and Ahmed, alias Munna, who were involved in the murders of 60 people, including members of the Shia community and law enforcement agencies.

The jail officials taken into custody were allegedly involved in ‘destroying’ evidence relating to the investigation, and threatening witnesses who wished to cooperate with investigators to record their statements.

DIG Farooqi said that this was third case registered against them in relation to the same incident.

The first case was registered against one dozen jail officials, including the two arrested officials, over the jailbreak.

A second case was registered against them after heroin, cellphones and cellphone signal jammers were recovered during a search operation by the Rangers inside the prison after the jailbreak in June.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.