Post-operation: Lyari tense as ex-PAC men buried
Residents burn tyres, fire aerial shots during funeral of slain activists.
KARACHI:
Lyari was tense on Sunday as two arrested men were released to arrange the funerals of two activists killed a day earlier in an operation by the Rangers.
The activists, Ismail Baba and Shareef, who were killed in the operation belonged to the defunct Peoples Aman Committee (PAC). Its former president, Shahidur Rahman Baloch, along with several of his companions were temporarily released for the funeral as Ismail Baba was his brother. The other victim, Shareef, was the nephew of a former Lyari councilor.
Ismail Baba and Shareef were killed in cross-fire and two Rangers jawans were injured. Their funeral prayers were offered at Chakiwara No. 2 after Zohr prayers and they were laid to rest at Mewa Shah graveyard.
A large number of former activists of the PAC, residents and relatives attended. Many residents took to the streets to register their protest against the operation and the neighbourhood was edgy as shops and markets were forced shut.
Burning tyres and intense aerial firing was reported. The streets were deserted as those not present at the funeral preferred to stay indoors.
A heavy contingent of police and Rangers were deployed in parts of Lyari to prevent any clashes, however none were reported.
The unease was not helped by the release of the arrested men from custody. “The detainees were released temporarily,” said Lyari SP Javed Baloch, confirming the release of the ex-PAC president and his aides.
“No FIR was registered against them and Rangers picked them up just for interrogation.”
However, a contradictory statement emerged from an official of the Sindh Rangers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. He told The Express Tribune that “an FIR was registered against the arrested men at the local police station, and after interrogation, they were handed over to the police.”
SP Javed said that the released people could be “taken into custody again.” When asked about the reasons behind the operation, Javed was clueless.
“Only the Rangers conducted the operation, the police did not play any role,” he explained. “However, the control of law and order is our priority.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2011.
Lyari was tense on Sunday as two arrested men were released to arrange the funerals of two activists killed a day earlier in an operation by the Rangers.
The activists, Ismail Baba and Shareef, who were killed in the operation belonged to the defunct Peoples Aman Committee (PAC). Its former president, Shahidur Rahman Baloch, along with several of his companions were temporarily released for the funeral as Ismail Baba was his brother. The other victim, Shareef, was the nephew of a former Lyari councilor.
Ismail Baba and Shareef were killed in cross-fire and two Rangers jawans were injured. Their funeral prayers were offered at Chakiwara No. 2 after Zohr prayers and they were laid to rest at Mewa Shah graveyard.
A large number of former activists of the PAC, residents and relatives attended. Many residents took to the streets to register their protest against the operation and the neighbourhood was edgy as shops and markets were forced shut.
Burning tyres and intense aerial firing was reported. The streets were deserted as those not present at the funeral preferred to stay indoors.
A heavy contingent of police and Rangers were deployed in parts of Lyari to prevent any clashes, however none were reported.
The unease was not helped by the release of the arrested men from custody. “The detainees were released temporarily,” said Lyari SP Javed Baloch, confirming the release of the ex-PAC president and his aides.
“No FIR was registered against them and Rangers picked them up just for interrogation.”
However, a contradictory statement emerged from an official of the Sindh Rangers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. He told The Express Tribune that “an FIR was registered against the arrested men at the local police station, and after interrogation, they were handed over to the police.”
SP Javed said that the released people could be “taken into custody again.” When asked about the reasons behind the operation, Javed was clueless.
“Only the Rangers conducted the operation, the police did not play any role,” he explained. “However, the control of law and order is our priority.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2011.