Lyari clashes: Three killed in encounters with police, Rangers

Two of the men belonged to the Peoples Amn Committee.

KARACHI: Two gang members of the Peoples Amn Committee (PAC), which is led by Uzair Baloch, were gunned down in the city on Monday. 


The police and Rangers carried out a joint operation in the Chakiwara area of Lyari on a tip-off, according to police. The gang members opened fire at the law enforcing personnel as they approached their hideout.

After a brief encounter, two members of PAC were killed. They were identified as 30-year-old Ejaz and 35-year-old Dilshad.

Their bodies were shifted to Civil Hospital Karachi for medico-legal formalities. Both men were wanted by police in several criminal cases.

In another encounter, 25-year-old Wahid was killed in Saddar. According to SSP South Nasir Aftab, the accused was caught red-handed looting citizens. He had tried to escape after seeing a police van.

"Police followed him and after an encounter, he was shot dead. A TT pistol and looted material were recovered from the accused."

His body was shifted to Civil Hospital Karachi for an autospy.

Gang-war

On November 23, Baba Golden was one of two people killed during clashes between two groups in the ongoing gang-war in Lyari. He was affiliated with Uzair Baloch’s gang and was working under Shiraz Comrade when he was killed.

An earlier clash between the two groups on November 16 had injured five people in the same area of the city.

On the same day, Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Asadullah was killed and three policemen were injured when a rocket was fired at their armored car in Lyari.

The police had been reluctant to go to the area following calls of troubled residents asking them for assistance, due to the escalated violence in the area.

On November 10, two suspected gangsters were killed during the ongoing gang war between two rival groups – Baba Ladla’s gang and the Peoples Amn Committee (PAC), led by Uzair Baloch – while one suspect was killed in an encounter with law enforcers.

From November 6-7, Nasir Khan, a close aide of the notorious gangster Noor Mohammad alias Baba Ladla; Gul Mohammad, Baba’s brother-in-law, and Basit alias Maut (death) were killed as a result of the ongoing gang war.

The recent differences between Uzair and Baba began over the issue of Uzair’s escape from Lyari, according to a source who is close to both of them.

“Baba directed Uzair not to leave his men as the entire neighbourhood considered him to be the sardar [leader]. But Uzair left without taking Baba into confidence,” the source had said.

Insiders had said Baba suffered setbacks when a large number of his operational commanders were killed. “Uzair Baloch in comparison did not lose as many men. Some of Baba’s commanders even joined his rival’s group, which came as a shock to say the least,” an insider had said.

Four commanders – Moosa Baloch, Yousuf Gojji, Mairaj Baloch and Younus Baloch – of Baba’s group were killed, either during the gang war or in encounters with law enforcers. Many others, including Ustad Taju, Mullah Nisar, Umer Kutchi, Wasiullah Lakho, Shafi Pathan and Ismail Lashari, had chosen to leave Baba and join Uzair’s gang.

“When internal cracks between the PAC started to appear, these men played a neutral role as they were against the internal gang war. But one by one, they saw Baba weaken and joined Uzair,” a source inside the group had said.