Lyari operation - day 5: Sindh govt offers olive branch to gangs

Marri says govern­ment ready to negoti­ate with gangs that surren­der and lay down arms.

KARACHI:
On the fifth day of the Lyari operation, the Sindh government invited all gangs involved in the Lyari violence to the table for negotiations if they agreed to surrender and lay down arms.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Sindh Information Minister Shazia Marri said that the provincial government was willing to offer some ‘concession’ to the warring gangs of Lyari if they surrendered.

The operation has claimed 33 lives so far, including six policemen. Over 60 people have been injured as a result of the operation.

A police official deployed at Cheel Chowk was killed during a rocket attack last night. In a separate attack, the upper floor of Al Majeed Hotel in Lea Market was hit by a rocket, which resulted in the injury of 10 people. The injured were shifted to Civil hospital.

Police continued to face resistance last night, as miscreants continued with rocket and grenade attacks in the Nawa Lane and Cheel Chowk areas.

The police advanced in to the areas of Baghdadi Telephone exchange, Lea Market, Saifi Lane, and Purana Dhobi Ghat, but were met with staunch resistance and were unable to proceed further.


Different areas of Lyari, including Nawa Lane, Kalakot, Ghareeb Shah Road and Juman Shah have been deprived of electricity and water since the past four days.

Mobile phone jammers have also been installed in the Lyari area.

Anti-Lyari operation protests at Baloch Colony

Protesting the Lyari operation, hundreds of demonstrators carrying sticks blocked traffic going from Shaheed-e-Millat to Korangi Road while pelting cars and transportation vehicles with stones, Express News reported.

The protesters, consisting of children, women and men, blocked the Baloch Colony flyover and forced shops in Mehmoodabad area to close down.

The police blocked the roads to stop more cars from entering the area, as the protesters had starting setting them on fire. The protesters also pelted the police with stones.

Sources said that these protests have been going on for a few days causing stoppage of traffic for hours.

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