July 29 jailbreak: DI Khan prisoner re-arrested from Punjab

Akhtar Nawaz was going to Mianwali when he was taken into custody.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A wanted criminal, who had escaped from DI Khan Central Prison during the attack by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was re-arrested in Bhakkar area of southern Punjab on Tuesday.

A senior police official in DI Khan said that Akhtar Nawaz, who was sentenced for murders, attempted murders, thefts, robberies and other crimes, had escaped from the jail during the attack. Nawaz was coming to Mianwali, his hometown, from Bhakkar when police arrested him at a checkpoint and shifted him back to the DI Khan prison.



The official further said that reportedly 65 prisoners have either returned or have been re-arrested and moved back to the DI Khan prison.

Meanwhile, DI Khan police continued their search operation for the July 29 jailbreak. Early morning on Tuesday, security forces assisted by police launched a search operation in Zafarabad Colony, Gali Bagh Wali, Dinpur and Dera Bypass Road, and arrested seven suspects. The operation was carried out after receiving a tip-off about the presence of prisoners who had escaped during the attack on the jail.

During the operation, security forces recovered 0.7million Afghani (currency of Afghanistan) from a house along with six AK-47s, 21 pistols, 10 double barrel guns and a sniper rifle. The suspects were shifted to an undisclosed location for further interrogation.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2013.