KARACHI: With the death warrants being issued for the execution of some condemned prisoners belonging to banned militant groups, security has been tightened in and around the prisons in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur, it emerged on Friday.

Officials in the provincial home and prisons departments said they were waiting for a nod from Islamabad before making final arrangements for the execution of the six condemned prisoners who had been sentenced to death for being involved in attacks on military establishments and sectarian killings.

“A list of some condemned prisoners has been sent to the competent authority for appro­val,” said a senior official in the home department requesting anonymity. He expressed the hope that the relevant authorities would get the nod from senior quarters by Monday “after which the convicts would be hanged”. Besides, officials in the prisons department said a red alert had been issued for the security of jails in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur.

In Karachi, they added, Frontier Constabulary, Rang­ers and police from various police stations had been entrusted with the task of guarding the Karachi central prison. Similar measures were being taken for the security of the Malir district jail and other prisons.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2014