The investigation into the escape of 225 prisoners from the Malir district jail earlier this year has been completed, showing negligence on the part of the jail superintendent and others.
Police officials said on Tuesday the inquiry report has revealed that the escape of prisoners was the result not only of the earthquake on the day of the jailbreak in June 2025, but also of negligence, carelessness and poor security arrangements.
They added that a case of the was registered at Shah Latif Town Police Station on the complaint of Assistant Superintendent Malir Jail Maula Bakhsh Sahto, and Superintendent Malir Jail Arshad Hussain Shah, Deputy Superintendent Zulfiqar Pirzada and Assistant Superintendent Abdullah Khaskheli were nominated in it.
Moreover, at the time of the incident, 225 prisoners had escaped by breaking the prison barriers. Those involved in serious crimes were also among the escaped prisoners. The police re-arrested 188 prisoners in various operations, while 37 prisoners are still absconding, and the search is ongoing.
Officials said the Sindh Home Department had ordered action against named officers on October 10, 2025. The police have registered a case against the officers under sections 19, 166, 217, 34, 223, 225 and 129 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The FIR lodged by the Shah Latif police on complaint of Assistant Superintendent Maula Bakhsh Sahto reads, “During the intervening night of 02/06/2025 between 11:30pm and 1:30am, mild earthquake tremors were felt in Karachi. During this time, 225 prisoners, including those accused of various serious crimes, managed to escape by breaking the poor security barriers and fences of the jail. Out of these, 80 prisoners were arrested by the District Police from different areas and 188 prisoners were later re-arrested by the District Police from different times and areas, while 37 prisoners are still absconding.”
For a high-level inquiry, a committee comprising Karachi commissioner as chairman and the additional IG Karachi as a member was formed. The committee stated in its report that it has been clarified that this mass escape was not only a result of the earthquake but its main reason was glaring negligence, lack of supervision, unpreparedness to deal with the emergency situation and failure of the internal and external command control system, which was the responsibility of the relevant officers. The inquiry committee report has found Superintendent Arshad Hussain Shah, Deputy Superintendent Zulfiqar Pirzada and Assistant Superintendent Abdullah Khaskheli responsible for this incident.
A report said the accused demonstrated poor security and negligence in the jail, showed legal disobedience and gross negligence towards the prisoners and failed to stop the escapees. It said legal action should be taken.
