2 killed over erecting street barriers in fight for Lyari

Dirty turf war flares up in Lyari over new group putting up barricades.

KARACHI: A dirty turf war flared up in Lyari late Friday night over a new group putting up barricades. One man was shot dead at night and another late Saturday and over half a dozen others were wounded in the process. The new entrant on the scene is the Kacchi Rabita Committee that is pitting itself against the Peoples Aman Committee.

“We do not want a PAC any more in Lyari,” said the Kacchi Rabita Committee chairman Akhter Hussain. “There is no difference between the PAC and the gangsters. They are all gangsters and are involved in crime and extortion.”

In its defence, the Peoples Aman Committee said that the KRC should give evidence or present witnesses to support its claims. The PAC’s Shahid Rehman said that one political party was supporting the KRC because they feared the PAC’s popularity.

According to reports, men scuffled with KRC men installing street barriers. One thing led to another and the guns were pulled out. KRC man Imran Singhar was shot dead. From Nayabad to Moosa Lane, the firing rang out and Jamshed, Zakir, Abdul Razzak, Ali Akbar, Sikander, Muzaffar and Babu were injured. Two PAC men Jamshed and Zakir were also injured.

Police confirmed that they fought over the barriers. “It’s not just one issue,” said Lyari SP Rana Pervez Mehmood to The Express Tribune. “These parties have lot of disputes.”

Residents, who did not want to be named out of fear, said that both groups have the backing of political parties and this was a fight for Lyari. “Political parties are supporting and using them,” one resident said. “Occupation is one reason.”

A large number of men, women and children crowded Mauripur Road over Imran’s killing, causing a massive traffic jam. They then blocked ICI bridge while returning from the Mawach Goth graveyard that again caused a traffic jam into the evening.

“Do not force us to take up weapons,” the KRC’s Zahid Lohar said while talking to The Express Tribune. “We can retaliate with weapons too.”

Another crowd marched to Chief Minister House where they staged a sit-in against the PAC for one hour.

“We have already suffered with the past wars between the gangsters,” said resident Shafi. “Now we do not want war any more.” He said that both the KRC and PAC should be banned.

Police registered FIR No. 53/11 against the PAC’s Sajjad Khatri and Farhan on behalf of Imran’s father Mohammad Hussain.

The Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) condemned the killing in a statement. It said that slips were bring sent to shops and traders were threatened if the extortion money was not paid.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th, 2011.