The Karachi Central Jail would be relocated to the outskirts of the populous city, away from residential areas, a day after a major plot to free high-value Taliban militants was foiled by Pakistani security agencies.
Sindh Minister for Prisons, Manzoor Wassan, said that the Karachi Central Jail will be relocated to Super Highway, which connects the cities of Hyderabad and Karachi.
Wassan said it was difficult to have foolproof security in the jail at its present location.
"We will be moving a summary to the provincial Cabinet to move the Karachi Central prison to the national highway away from residential areas," Wassan said.
The prison is presently located in the heart of Karachi in Jamshed Town residential area.
"We will soon move a summary to chief minister seeking his approval for moving the central prisons that is now encircled by residential areas," he said.
"A proposal has been conceived to convert the existing central jail into judicial complex. All city courts will be shifted to central jail given the threats to judges, lawyers and litigants," the minister added.
The decision comes a day after security agencies foiled a major plot to breach the jail after unearthing a 40-metre-long tunnel under a nearby house.
The rangers arrested some suspects from the house where the tunnel emanated.
Wassan admitted that besides Karachi, the central prisons in Hyderabad and Sukkur, where terrorists are jailed, were facing serious threats by banned outfits.
