Devolution of power: Chasing after gangsters long gone

High profile criminals, most-wanted men leave neighbourhood after handing over reins to juniors.

KARACHI:

If the law enforcement agencies managed to enter Lyari, they will be disappointed to learn that the gang leaders have left the neighbourhood, after handing over the reins to their juniors.

This does not, however, mean the turf war in the volatile neighbourhood has come to an end. In fact, the second-in-command and third tier of leadership are carrying on the legacy of their predecessors. In fact, the worst-affected areas of Gul Muhammad Lane, Rexor Lane, Rangi Wara, Dhobi Gat, Nawa Lane, Niazi Chowk, alFalah Road, Baghdadi, Shah Baig Lane, Aath Chowk, Koila Godown, Moosa Lane, Ali Muhammad Muhalla, Phool Patti Lane and Ahmed Shah Bukhari Road are still as violent despite repeated raids by the law enforcers.

Since Ghaffar Zikri shook hands with Baba Ladla, the latter's group has given a tough time to Uzair Baloch's men. Interestingly, the key players of this turf war - Uzair, Ustad Taju, Ghaffar Zikri, Umar Kutchi, Wasiullah Lakho and Baba Ladla - have not been in Lyari the past two months. According to an insider, Ghaffar has handed over the command to his younger brother, Sheraz Zikri, while Baba Ladla's younger brother, Zahid Ladla, has taken over the reins on his brother's behalf. Meanwhile, Faisal Pathan is working as the chief operational commander of the Uzair Baloch group.

"Like me, Uzair is also seeking to make his presence felt in Lyari," Friends of Lyari chairperson Habib Jan told The Express Tribune. "There will be no gang war if some political issues are sorted out," he hinted.

Going global

The insiders in these rival groups admitted that their leaders have escaped the country and have even managed to set up their own businesses. "Muscat, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Dubai and Singapore are their most favourite destinations," said an insider. "They have established their businesses, for example restaurants and hotels, and are earning more than what they made from the city through guns."

Going strong

The top leaders may have lost interest but Lyari still remains a no-go area for the law enforcers. The police and Rangers have announced the arrests of several criminals and even provided over nearly 150 retired army soldiers to the Lyari police but they have yet to establish its writ in the area.

"Both are strong groups as they both have guns," said Lyari SP Shahnawaz Khan, talking about the two main gangs in the neighourhood. "Like the other high-profile 'political' absconders, the key-players of the Lyari gang war have also yet to be arrested."

There are four police stations in Lyari - Kalri, Baghdadi, Chakiwara and Kalakot - and two permanent offices belonging to the Rangers. The paramilitary force boasted that it has limited the gangsters to a small area. "The gang war in Lyari is now too limited due to the law enforcers' actions," said a Rangers official. "The gang war is not the same as before."

Living in Lyari

The unabated attacks by both groups on each other and frequents raids and operations by the law enforcement agencies have irked the residents. "Most of our time is spent inside the house due to long operations, raids and the gang war," a frustrated resident of Gul Muhammad Lane, Abdul Sattar, complained. "Where is the relief for a common resident? The situation is worse than it was before the operation was launched."

The general sentiment among the residents is that the operations, raids and 'efforts' publicised by the government is all 'drama'. "The government has used its complete power but failed to restore peace and it confirms the criminals are more authoritative than the state," pointed out a resident of Koila Godam.

Lyari remains tense with more deaths

The ongoing gang war in Lyari claimed the lives of at least five more people on the fourth consecutive day of the gang war on Tuesday.

Aside from the five people killed in the gunfire, around half a dozen others were wounded. Parts of Lyari remained tense due to nonstop gunshots and explosions of rockets, hand grenades and bombs in various localities of Lyari including Shah Baig Lane, Afshani Gali, Nawa Lane, Phool Patti Lane, Jumman Shah Plot, Kumhar Wara, Baghdadi, Kalakot, Ali Muhammad Muhalla, where routine and commercial activities were suspended.

An engineer, Muhammad Younus, was among the people killed on Tuesday. Police officials said that Younus was the relative of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Babu Ghulam Hussain. Two armed motorcyclists shot and killed Younus near his house in Nawa Lane. The other deceased were identified as Akhtar Sher Gul, 30, Bilal Habib, 28 and Azeem Khan, 35.

The police at this point have no information whether they were criminals or bystanders caught in the crossfire. A body of an unidentified young man was also discovered in the Gutter Baghicha area. All deceased and injured persons were taken to Civil Hospital, Karachi. “We do not have enough information as yet to say whether the deceased persons were linked to the gangsters’ groups or not,” said Baghdadi SHO Alam Dahiri. “We are trying to calm the situation down.” Rangers and the police were stationed outside the affected areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2014.