KARACHI: Life remained paralysed in Karachi’s Lyari area on Saturday as a daylong gunbattle between rival criminal groups and their encounters with security personnel left 11 people dead, including children and women. Four suspected criminals were also among the dead.

The clashes, which have been going on for the past three days, have forced people to stay indoors, raising question marks over the effectiveness of targeted operations being conducted by police and Rangers.

Members of criminal groups used hand-grenades and rockets against each other.

The IG of Sindh, Shahid Nadim Baloch, called the latest deadly episode the result of a dispute between two groups after the killing of Zafar Baloch, a leader of Lyari and the former area president of PPP.

“We received 11 bodies from Lyari. One of them was of a young woman who was killed by a hand-grenade blast,” said Dr Nisar Shah, a medico-legal officer at the Civil Hospital.

Business remained suspended in most parts of the town amid persistent gunfire. Kalri Road, Slaughter House Road, Singo Lane, Farid Shah Colony, Gulistan Colony, Ahmed Shah Bukhari Road and Edu Lane were among the worst affected areas.

At night a heavy contingent of police and Rangers was seen moving towards all entry points of Lyari. According to an official, police and Rangers were preparing for a major showdown.

The DIG south, Abdul Khaliq Sheikh, said police and Rangers jointly conducted raids in affected areas on Saturday.

Earlier report on Inside Pages