Nosheen Khawaja
MUZAFFARABAD: In Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PaK), about twenty detainees, several of them accused of serious terrorism charges, executed a daring escape from Poonch district jail in Rawalakot city on Sunday. This unprecedented jailbreak is the first of its kind in the region’s history.
Authorities reported that the escape occurred amidst a hostage situation involving a sentry and the use of a revolver by the inmates. The incident, which took place on Sunday, resulted in the death of one inmate “in the crossfire,” while nineteen others successfully evaded capture as they fled the prison’s confines.
In response, police officials have launched a massive manhunt, sealing off entry and exit points of Rawalakot city and conducting an extensive search operation to apprehend the fugitives.
This jailbreak in Poonch evokes memories of past episodes of mass jailbreaks orchestrated by militant groups across Pakistan. Notably, in 2012, 400 prisoners were freed in Bannu, exposing systemic vulnerabilities within the nation’s penal system.
Among the escapees were individuals facing severe charges, including terrorism-related offenses. Police officials confirmed that three of those, who escaped were undertrial on terrorism charges. Ghazi Shahzad, a former militant from Sudhnoti district, was among them, arrested last year under anti-terrorism laws following a provocative speech in his hometown.
Ghazi Shahzad’s rhetoric highlighted regional tensions, advocating armed struggle in the absence of international support for Kashmiri aspirations. Authorities had previously expressed security concerns about these three detainees, seeking their transfer to more secure facilities prior to the daring escape.
The escaped group included six individuals sentenced to death, three sentenced to 25 years imprisonment, three sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, and one sentenced to 5 years imprisonment, according to police officials.
As investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the escape, questions persist over how the inmates acquired the firearm used in the breakout.
Officials are investigating whether it was seized from prison personnel or smuggled into the facility from outside.
This incident highlights the challenges faced by Pakistan-administered Kashmir in maintaining secure correctional facilities amidst ongoing security threats.
CCTV footage captures the daring jailbreak in Poonch district jail in Rawalakot city, Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where twenty detainees escaped amidst a hostage situation. One inmate was killed during the breakout.
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