From the south: Lyari gang member arrested in city

Suspected criminal had his passport renewed, planned to flee country.

PESHAWAR: The counter-terrorism Department (CTD) arrested a Lyari gang member during a raid in Ramdas area within the jurisdiction of Banamarhi police station on Saturday.

This was stated in a handout issued by the department. According to the document, the gang member has been identified as Rashid Baloch alias Chichi.

“The CTD and Intelligence Bureau received information that Chichi had renewed his CNIC at the NADRA office in Peshawar and applied for a passport,” stated the handout.

“He was planning on fleeing the country after obtaining the passport.”

CTD officials conducted a raid and arrested Chichi. He was shifted to an undisclosed location. The gang member will be handed over to Karachi police.

As per initial interrogation, Chichi fled to Peshawar after the Rangers operation started in Karachi and had been hiding in Peshawar.

He was wanted for attacks on police and Sindh Rangers and several murder cases.

Chichi had also been accused of extorting money from wealthy people in the port city and running several gambling dens there. He was a key member of Noor Muhammad alias Baba Ladla group in Lyari.

Lyari is an old area of Karachi, Sindh and has been notorious for criminal activity and gang-wars.

Separately, police arrested a terrorist during a raid in Faqirabad. It is believed he was an active member of a banned outfit and was involved in recruiting members.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2016.