Enforcing the law: Uzair Baloch’s right hand man shot dead

Maab Baloch was heading Uzair’s group in his absence

KARACHI:

Law enforcement personnel claim to have killed the top commander of a Lyari-based gang as well as two of his comrades in an alleged encounter in the restive neighbourhood on Sunday. At least two police personnel were also injured in the crossfire.

The deceased gangster, Maab Baloch, was the right hand man of Uzair Baloch and was leading the gang in his absence. The other two suspects killed in the encounter were identified as Abid Golden and Hassan. The alleged encounter took place in the gangsters' stronghold area - Shahrukh Lane, near Gabol Park, within the limits of Kalakot Police Station.

"We (the police and Rangers) were cordoning off the locality to conduct a search operation when the suspects opened fire at us," said Kalakot DSP Anwar Ali Shah, while speaking to The Express Tribune. "The suspects were killed in the retaliatory fire by the personnel."

Sources familiar with the setup of Lyari-based gangs explained that Maab was one of the youngest operational commanders in the gangs and was currently heading the Uzair Baloch group. "Before Maab, Sarwar Baloch alias Sarwar Commando, had been running Uzair's gang since he left the country," explained a source. "But after Sarwar was shot dead by the Rangers, Maab was given control over the whole gang."

Sarwar Baloch was killed on October 30, last year, during an alleged encounter with the Rangers in Kalakot. A Rangers personnel also lost his life while another was wounded during the crossfire. Sarwar was a wanted criminal and the Sindh government had announced a bounty of Rs1 million to capture him dead or alive. "As he (Maab) was the right hand man of Uzair Baloch and heading the gang in his absence, he was likely to be Uzair's successor," said a member of the gang, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The source claimed, however, that the law enforcers had killed the three suspects in a fake encounter, adding that they had been arrested a few hours before they were killed. He said that Uzair Baloch has yet to announce who will lead the gang after Maab.

Meanwhile, the residents of Lyari expressed appreciation for the police and Rangers for taking action against the alleged gangsters. "We do not care if they were killed in a fake encounter or a genuine one. All we want is the elimination of the gangs and gangsters," said a resident of Afshani Gali, Lyari. "They (gangsters) should be killed in the same way that they have been killing innocent people."

Police officials said that Maab was wanted in at least 70 cases of crime, including murder, attempt to murder, extortion, kidnapping for ransom and attacks on law enforcement personnel. His companions who were killed in the encounter with him were also wanted to the police in several cases of crime.

The two police personnel, identified as Khadim Hussain and Ashiq Hussain, who were injured in the crossfire, were shifted to Civil Hospital, Karachi, for medical treatment where doctors termed their condition stable.

Separately, Special investigation Unit (SIU) police claim to have arrested a suspect, identified as Amir alias Langra, during a raid in Korangi. SIU officials said the accused was a proclaimed offender in over ten cases of robberies and police encounters. Weapons were also seized from his possession while further investigation was underway.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2015.