Orangi violence: ‘The city is peaceful today because of the operation’

Rangers search Qasba and Bukhari Colony for criminals.


Express August 08, 2011

KARACHI: Law enforcement agents launched an operation in different parts of Orangi Town on Sunday. Around nine people were taken into custody by the police and were taken to an undisclosed location for questioning. Most of them were released later.

The police and Rangers conducted the search operation in Qasba Colony, Bukhari Colony, Gulfamabad, Qazzafi Chowk, Aligarh Bazaar and Sector 1-C. The operation lasted for three hours and the areas were cordoned off from the public.

A clash between the residents and Rangers took place during a protest organised by the resident against the detention of what they said were innocent people during the operation. Unidentified men opened fire on the crowd and injured two women. Their families claim that the Rangers exchanged fire with the men to protect the protestors. The injured women were taken to Qatar Hospital in Orangi and were later shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. A police constable was also injured in the exchange.

The police and Rangers have conducted several operations in the area but have been unable to produce any reliable suspect in court. A senior police officer said, “On one hand, it is necessary to conduct the operation but it is also necessary to produce them in court.” He added that if the common man was aware of what was going on in the city, then the law enforcement agent should know better.

Zone West SSP Asif Ejaz told The Express Tribune that the operations were successful. “How can we not be successful? We have to report to our senior officers as well,” he said. “Our success cannot be shared with the media yet because it is still a work in progress.” Ejaz added that door-to-door search operations were not being launched yet because they were still working on targeted operations. “The city is peaceful today because of the operation conducted in Orangi,” he said. “It is regrettable that we are unable to share the information with you because if we do then it might ruin our entire strategy.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8th, 2011.

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