KARACHI - Two hardcore militants, affiliated with outlawed terrorist organisation, escaped from the Central Jail late Tuesday night.

Following the jailbreak, the jail high-ups suspended at least a dozen officials, including superintendent of jail and approached the district police to register a case against them.

Two hardcore militants of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), Shaikh Muhammad Mumtaz and Muhammad Ahmed Khan alias Muna had escaped from the Central Jail, sources revealed.

The militants belonged to the Hafiz Qasim Rasheed and Sabir Munna group of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

These groups are considered the most dangerous groups, which have featured in various high profile cases of terrorism.

One of them Ahmed alias Muna had reportedly been awarded 14 years imprisonment.

The officials suspended include Superintendent Prison Ghulam Murtaza Shaikh, Deputy Superintendent Faheem Memon, Assistant Superintendent Abdur Rehman Shaikh, ASI Faroosh Muhammad, SPC Nawab Ali, constables Atta Muhammad, Muhammad Amir, Abdul Ghaffor, Saeed Ahmed, Muhammad Sajjad, Tagial Naseer and Nadir Ali.

DIG Prisons Ashraf Ali Nizamani has also written a letter to the Station House Officer of New Town police station,  District East to register a case against the suspended officials over the jailbreak.

It is reminded here that these two militants had escaped from the Judicial Complex adjacent to Central Jail.

“You are requested to lodge FIR under relevant section of law against these prisoners and the following officials as their negligence resulted in the escape of UTPs,” reads a letter.

“The prisoners have escaped from the newly formed ATCs complex inside the premises of the Central Prison. The building is on the outer perimeter of the prison. Therefore, the security is not the same as it is inside the prison,” IG Prisons Nusrat Mangan told media.

“We have suspended some officers linked to the matter and have formed a committee to investigate into the matter. We have zero tolerance for such matters and if someone from within our ranks is found involved in this escape, he will be dealt with iron hands,” he added.

“As per my correspondence with the operations police, teams have been dispatched to nab the suspects and hopefully soon they will be behind bars,” he concluded.

‘Robber’ dies in an ‘encounter’

A robber was killed during an exchange of fire with police in Defence Housing Authority (DHA) within the limits of Gizri police station on Wednesday.

Police said that gunmen riding a motorbike were attempting to snatch a car from a man, Imtiaz, in Phase VI, DHA when police intervened.

Resultantly an exchange of fire ensued due to which Imtiaz and a bandit sustained wounds and were shifted to a hospital where doctors pronounced the bandit dead while admitted Imtiaz with serious injuries.

The dead was identified as Ali Asghar, 30, while his accomplice managed to flee.

Police said that Imtiaz had put up resistance to the robbers and in the meantime the police also reached and responded promptly.

The robbers shot at Imtiaz when he offered resistance, and when police reached the scene, the robbers also opened fire at them. “Both the casualties occurred due to fire from the robbers,” police added.

“Police has started the hunt for the robber who is on the run,” a police official said, and hoped that soon the law enforcement agencies would trace him.

The body of deceased bandit was moved to a morgue while later police registered the case.

On the other hand, Karachi police claimed to have arrested at least 15 outlaws in various raids and operations carried out in different parts of the city.

Those nabbed included street criminals, bandits, drug peddlers and others.

Police said it had also recovered weapons and narcotics from their possession.