KARACHI – In the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, a jailbreak occurred when over 100 prisoners escaped and at least one inmate was fatally shot during a gunfight. The incident happened overnight after inmates were moved from their cells due to minor earthquake tremors, according to officials.

Kashif Abbasi, a high-ranking police officer, reported that 216 prisoners made a break for it in Sindh province’s capital before dawn. Out of these, 78 have been successfully apprehended so far. None of the escapees are convicted militants or awaiting trial for militancy, he confirmed.

In the chaos, one prisoner lost his life and three security personnel were injured during the shootout. However, Abbasi assured that the situation is now under control, and police are actively raiding locations to track down the remaining fugitives.

Ziaul Hassan, the home minister of Sindh province, said the jailbreak occurred after prisoners were evacuated from their cells for safety during the earthquake. The inmates were still outside of the cells when a group suddenly attacked guards, seized their weapons, opened fire and fled.

Though prisoners have escaped while being transported to court for trial, prison beaks are not common in Pakistan, where authorities have enhanced security since 2013 when the Pakistani Taliban freed more than 200 inmates in an attack on a prison in the northwestern district of Dera Ismail Khan.

Karachi has experienced several mild and shallow earthquakes in the past 24 hours, ranging from 2.6 to 3.4 in magnitude, according to the National Seismic Monitoring Center.