THATTA: Sindh Minister for Works & Services and Prisons Haji Ali Hassan Zardari has said that negligence on the part of Malir District Prison officials and personnel leading to recent massive jailbreak cannot be ruled out.

He was speaking to the media in the Ghorabari area here on Monday. He said that an inquiry into the incident was under way and anyone found involved in the jailbreak would be punished.

More than 200 prisoners had escaped during the June 2-3 night incident while inmates were being relocated to safer barracks after Malir and some adjoining areas were jolted by back-to-back mild earthquakes. Most of the escaped prisoners have either returned on their own or brought back to the jail.

The minister said that Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had already vowed to take strict action against anyone found involved in the jailbreak.

Zardari rejected as ‘baseless’ the rumours of internal conflicts within his departments and also those of differences between him and his son over certain matters.

He accused his political opponents of “conspiring to tarnish his image”, saying that these ‘mafias’ were out to hatch conspiracies against him through such propaganda, but they would not succeed.

The minister asked journalists to avoid using unethical language in reporting personal and family matters.

The minister explained his departments’ development schemes for Thatta, and said he was making efforts to introduce reforms in the prison system.

He said that the current system was based on British-era jail manuals which required significant changes. He affirmed his commitment to transform jails into true correctional facilities in order to ensure all permissible facilities to inmates including proper food and basic amenities.

He announced that the project of Thatta District Jail was complete.

He stated that with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank, a protective bund would be raised at Keti Bandar to control sea erosion. He also announced that Thatta would receive more mega projects and that the Ghorabari Hospital would be inaugurated soon.

Those present at the media talk included PPP youth wing leader Ashiq Hussain Zardari and Thatta District Council Chairman Abdul Hameed Panhwar.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2025