The funeral prayers of outlawed PAC leader Zafar Baloch were offered at Football grounds in Lyari and were attended by a large number of people. Later, Baloch and his guard were laid to rest at the Mewa Shah graveyard. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
When residents of Lyari threw fistful of earth over the grave of Zafar Baloch, they felt they buried his outlawed Peoples Amn Committee (PAC) as well.
“We think Zafar’s murder pushed us five years back, when there was no PAC,” a resident claimed, on the condition of anonymity. “There is no one left to run politics in Lyari.” Their concerns are valid as the PAC’s other leaders, Uzair Baloch and Habib Jan Baloch, have already been forced into hiding. Shahjahan Baloch, who is an elected MNA, is in prison while Saniya Naz and Javed Nagori also fear for their lives. Meanwhile, Shahid Rehman alias Shahid MCB has been busy running the Karachi City Alliance.
“Even if they all returned, they could not replace Zafar,” another resident admitted. “In Lyari now, only gangsters remain.”
For Habib, with whom Zafar started his political career years ago, claimed Zafar’s death is a major loss to Lyari politics. “No one can replace him but, I promise, you will see thousands of Zafars in Lyari - the same way you saw thousands of Rehmans,” Habib said, referring to Lyari’s notorious gangster Rehman Dakait.
Internal rifts?
Several men privy to Lyari politics believed that Zafar was killed over internal rifts within the PAC. “It is hard for outsiders to enter a PAC stronghold, where thousands of people are present at that time,” said a source. “It is impossible for outsiders to complete their swift operation and escape when there is a large crowd, some of whom are gangsters.”
Even the police claim the killing may have resulted from internal problems within the PAC. “Which outsider has the courage to go inside and return safe and sound?” asked a senior police officer, Chaudhry Aslam Khan. “Most probably, he was killed by his own men.”
If the neighbourhood has such tight security, why did a bomb kill 11 football enthusiasts in Ramazan? Sources claimed that planting a bomb is easier as the explosion does not take place immediately and you have enough time to escape. “But to shoot and kill and then run without getting chased is nearly impossible.”
According to insiders in the Lyari gang war, there were rifts between notorious gangster and supporter of PAC, Baba Ladla, and the Amn Committee over the issue of Kutchis and the arrest of gangsters. “Zafar believed in politics but Ladla believed in fighting rather than dialogues,” said an insider. “Ladla suspected that Zafar and others were helping the law enforcers conduct raids and arrests in Lyari.”
Habib Jan refuted, however, the claims that Ladla was behind Zafar’s killing. “There are some other elements trying to hatch a conspiracy against Ladla for killing Zafar.”
Future
In the uncertainty following the killing of Zafar, rival groups - such as Ghaffar Zikri and opponents Rauf Baloch and Akram Baloch - may strike with force to regain control of Lyari. “Ladla’s group had massive support because of Zafar,” said a member of Ladla’s rival group. “We can now defeat Ladla group as this is once again a gang war.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 20th, 2013.
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The news is the slap in the face of all who feel MQM is behind every killing going around in Karachi. MQM is for Karachi just like Zafar was for liyari. Without MQM Karachi would fall prey to gang wars.We must have faith in the party that delivered in 2002-2006. Let us give them a chance and put the MQM-bashing on hold