Five Adiala jail officials arrested after 14 prisoners escape

RAWALPINDI: Police have arrested five officials, including the guard in-charge of Adiala Central Jail, following the escape of 14 undertrial prisoners from a prison van after a court appearance, officials said on Tuesday.

The arrested personnel were on duty at the time of the escape. Investigators have also begun examining their mobile phone data and call records as part of the probe.

Authorities are investigating several aspects of the security arrangements, including the number of prisoners who were handcuffed, the meetings the undertrial prisoners had during their appearance at Kahuta courts, the number of armed personnel assigned to escort the prison van, and how security duties were allocated.

The inquiry will also determine whether the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for transporting and producing high-risk undertrial prisoners in court were properly followed or violated. A special investigation team has been constituted to conduct the probe.

The incident occurred on Monday evening when 14 undertrial prisoners escaped from a prison van in the Sihala area of Islamabad after being produced before courts in Kahuta.

According to police, the prisoners created a disturbance inside the vehicle before throwing chilli powder into the eyes of escorting officers and fleeing. The prison van was carrying 36 undertrial prisoners, 14 of whom managed to escape.

Police reveal details of 14 Adiala Jail undertrials who escaped after court hearing

Taking notice of the incident, Inspector General (IG) Punjab Rao Abdul Kareem sought a detailed report from Rawalpindi Regional Police Officer (RPO) DIG Babar Sarfraz Alpa.

The IG also ordered the transfer of SP Headquarters Mudassar Iqbal to Lahore and suspended DSP Headquarters Imtiaz Ahmed with immediate effect pending the outcome of the investigation.

According to police records, the Adiala Jail fugitives include:

• Syed Ehtisham – Case No. 253/22, Section 324
• Azaan Hussain – Case No. 688/25, nominated in Section 302
• Adil Abbas – Case No. 473/20, Section 355
• Abdul Rehman – FIR No. 853/24, Sections 302, 397
• Abdul Wahab – Case No. 50/24, Sections 395/412
• Muhammad Asim – FIR No. 847/24, Section 9-C
• Samar – Case No. 207/24, Section 324
• Zigam Shah – Case No. 473/20, Sections 337-L(ii), 148/149
• Wadi alias Wadi – FIR No. 433/25, Section 302
• Asad alias Asad – Case No. 853/24, nominated in Section 302