On Sunday, twenty detainees, including some accused of terrorism, orchestrated a prison break in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, officials informed AFP. One detainee was reported to have been "killed in the crossfire" during the escape.
"The inmates had a revolver which they used to take a sentry hostage," disclosed Badar Munir, an official from the regional ministry of interior. Munir further explained that it remains uncertain whether the weapon was taken from jail officials or brought in from outside.
The escape occurred at the Poonch district jail in Rawalakot city, approximately 110 kilometers (68 miles) south of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. According to Waheed Ali Gillani, the inspector general of Kashmir prisons, a total of 20 individuals escaped, with one killed during the crossfire and 19 still at large.
Riaz Mughal, a senior local police official, confirmed to AFP that entry and exit points of Rawalakot have been blocked, and a search operation is currently underway to apprehend the escapees. Pakistan's prisons are widely known for their overcrowded, poor conditions, corruption, and human rights violations. Moreover, the slow judicial processes often result in prolonged stays for prisoners.
In the past, militant groups have successfully organized several mass jailbreaks in Pakistan, notably in the northwestern town of Bannu in 2012, where 400 prisoners were released.
