Seven killed in Pakistan jail riot

Seven prisoners were killed in clashes which erupted following a search by authorities for mobile phones in a Pakistan jail, prison officials said today.

The riot happened yesterday at Hyderabad jail in southern Pakistan.

Hyderabad prison official Aftab Soomro said fighting broke out during a search for phones illegally kept by inmates.

He said the inmates, some of whom were armed, resisted the search and police were called in.

Regional prison chief Ghulam Qadir Thebo said calm had now been restored and authorities were investigating how the inmates were killed.

Pakistani prisons are overcrowded and are known for their poor conditions.