KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) was informed on Monday that as many as 161 inmates who fled after the Malir jailbreak have been recaptured and efforts are underway to arrest the remaining 55 escapees.

According to the FIR, at least 216 inmates allegedly managed to escape from the District Malir Jail during the incident. However, in the last hearing, the investigating officer (IO) had produced 115 fugitive prisoners before the court and sought their police remand, which was declined. The court instead sent them to prison on judicial remand.

At Monday’s hearing, IO Inspector Saleem Abbasi produced a further 46 recaptured prisoners following the jailbreak before the administrative judge of the ATCs at the judicial complex inside the central prison.

During the proceedings, he informed the court that a total of 161 inmates had been recaptured and requested the physical remand of the 46 recently apprehended inmates for 14 days in order to assist in the arrest of the remaining escapees.

However, after hearing the IO, the court sent the 46 recaptured undertrial prisoners (UTPs) to jail on judicial remand, as it found no sufficient grounds to grant their custody to the police.

Total of 216 prisoners escaped, 161 of them have been re-arrested so far, IO says

The officials said that the Shah Latif Town police station registered a case pertaining to the jailbreak and escape of 216 inmates under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), on the complaint of prison official Zulfiqar Ali Peerzada.

As per the FIR, on the night of June 3, due to tremors from an earthquake, prisoners at the District Jail Malir began shouting from their barracks. Many inmates incited others, broke the locks of multiple barracks and moved towards the jail tower.

It further stated that they attem­pted to overpower the security personnel, attacked them with sticks, snatched state weapons and opened fire, creating panic and fear. The enraged prisoners also broke the gates and windows of various offices, and a total of 216 inmates successfully escaped from the jail, the FIR added.

The case was registered under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 324 (attempt to murder), 395 (punishment for dacoity), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 224 (resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension), 225 (resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension of another person) and 34 (common intention) of the PPC, read with Section 7 of the ATA.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2025