Hyderabad Central Jail beefs up security to prevent breach

Jail houses high-profile militants such as Omer Sheikh, his cohorts behind Daniel Pearl murder.

HYDERABAD:

Following the DI Khan Jail attack, Sindh prisons have taken up all measures to prevent any untoward attack on their premises. After Karachi, now it is Hyderabad, which beefed up its security late Saturday night.

In anticipation of a terrorist attack, the Hyderabad police deployed more Rangers and police officers outside the Central prison after the midnight.

The SSP Saqib Ismail Memon told The Express Tribune that the police received an intelligence report about a potential attack, similar to the one in DI Khan Jail. “The security measure is part of a plan to tighten the security at all prisons in the province.”

Hyderabad Jail houses around 2,000 inmates, according to the Jail Superintendent Younus Maseeb. The jail houses some high-profile militants, including Omar Sheikh and his other cohorts, behind the murder of an American journalist, Daniel Pearl.

Maseeb confirmed that additional force was further deployed at the prisons to check for any unusual activities in and outside the premises.



The SP headquarters, Tufail Umer, claimed that 150 police officers and 50 Rangers personnel have been deployed for jail’s security. He added that deployment would be in place until all threats are gone.

The prisons is located on the National Highway and is surrounded by highly populated urban areas of city taluka, such as Heerabad, Zubeida College, Journalist Colony, Kalhoro Colony and Mubarak Colony by three sides and the Fuleli canal towards its west.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th, 2013.