Blood and bullets: Ghaffar Zikri’s top commando shot dead

Dr Shoaib was killed in a joint raid conducted by the police and Rangers.

KARACHI:

The police and Rangers claim to have killed one of Lyari's most wanted men - Dr Shoaib, one of the founding members of the area's notorious Ghaffar Zikri gang.

Dr Shoaib was shot dead with three others, including a teenage footballer, by the police and paramilitary force in an alleged encounter in Malir.

The encounter took place near Bawan Shah Goth, Malir on Sunday morning. The bodies of the four men were taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for identification where it was confirmed that Dr Shoaib and a young footballer, Shahzeb Razzak, were dead. According to the Rangers spokesperson, they conducted an operation based on information they had received earlier. "When they [the gangsters] saw the Rangers approaching they started firing at our men," he said. "The Rangers retaliated and four gang members were killed."

He added that Dr Shoaib was among those killed in firing. The Rangers spokesperson claimed that they also recovered an awan launcher, four sub-machineguns (SMGs), MP-5 rifle, a 9mm pistol. He added that besides weapons, uniforms belonging to personnel of the paramilitary forces and police, bandoliers, hostlers, cameras, laser lights and wigs were also recovered.

Who was Dr Shoaib?

Dr Shoaib, a resident of Singu Lane, Chakiwara, became a member of Lyari's underworld with Ghaffar Zikri - a successor of Arshad Pappu, one of the main players of the Lyari gang war who was killed last year.

"Zikri, Dr Shoaib and two others visited Arshad Pappu and asked him to give them a chance to become a member of the gang," said a source. "Pappu gave them a task which they completed successfully and since then, Zikri and Dr Shoaib, have played a vital role in the area and gang."

A source from a Lyari gang told The Express Tribune that since Sohail Dada, the operational commander of the Uzair Baloch gang in Malir was killed by the police a few months ago, Dr Shoaib was tasked by Zikri and Baba Ladla to take over their rival's Malir territory.

"It was a good opportunity to take over that area," explained the source. "Dr Shoaib and his men had started controlling some of the areas in Malir in the last two weeks." The source added that their grand plan was to take over areas in Gadap and Malir which included Aansoo Goth, Salar Goth, Bakra Piri, Malir City and Memon Goth.

‘Shahzeb was sleeping when they took him away’

A teenager identified as Shahzeb Razzak was among the four people shot dead in the alleged encounter on Sunday morning. His family told The Express Tribune that Shahzeb represented Pakistan in two international football events in China and Iran last year.

“He played as midfielder for Pakistan’s under-14 football team,” said the family. “He was asleep at his sister’s house in Malir when people dressed in plain clothes took him away and killed him in an encounter.”

Young Shahzeb’s death has shocked the local football federation. “We can’t believe this,” said the president of the District South Football Federation Gulab Baloch while talking to The Express Tribune. “Shahzeb was a good player. We do not know what exactly happened or why it did.”

On the other hand, police officials claim that Shahzeb was a member of Dr Shoaib’s gang. “If he was an innocent then what was he doing there with Dr Shoaib?” said Malir DSP Fakharul Islam. “Who says that a footballer can’t be a gangster? Many of the footballers and boxers from Lyari have been involved in criminal activities so this won’t be a first.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2014.