KARACHI: The March 22 targeted killing of a dismissed policeman facing trial in the Arshad Pappu murder case has forced law enforcement agencies to step up their action against what they called remnants of Lyari gang warfare, it emerged on Sunday.

Investigators grilling a son of Arshad Pappu, who was arrested for the targeted killing of ex-SHO Chand Khan Niazi, said that he disclosed that over a dozen members of the Arshad Pappu gang were active in old city areas.

Some social activist of the city’s oldest neighbourhood also pointed out that many Lyari gangsters had invested their ill-gotten money in the lucrative business of illegal construction of high-rise building in the area through their frontmen but it seemed that authorities concerned had turned a blind eye towards them.

Residents say gangsters invested ill-gotten money in construction business thru frontmen

Rivalry between gangs

“In the aftermath of two targeted killing incidents of former SHOs Javed Baloch and Chand Khan Niazi by rival groups, it has been decided to speed up the hunt for the killers, their aides and facilitators,” DIG-South Sharjeel Kharal told Dawn.

“Since these incidents are a direct result of the rivalry between Uzair Baloch and Arshad Pappu gangs, it has been decided to keep a close eye on their activities so that peace of Lyari cannot be disturbed,” he said.

Both Baloch and Niazi were booked, arrested and then enlarged on bail for their alleged involvement in kidnapping and murder of Arshad Pappu, his brother and an aide in 2013.

They were targeted upon returning home after attending a court hearing in the Arshad Pappu murder case with an interval of three months in December and March.

A couple of days after the murder, police and Rangers had claimed to have arrested Alam Baloch, a son of Arshad Pappu, for his alleged involvement in the murder of Chand Khan Niazi. They said he was riding a motorbike and his pillion-passenger, who is still at large, carried out the shooting.

While the investigators suspected involvement of the same gang in the December 2021 murder case of Javed Baloch, the son of Arshad Pappu denied his involvement in the case.

The DIG said during initial investigation Pappu’s son revealed that there were 15 ‘remnants’ of his father’s gang were active in old city area.

“Concerted efforts are under way to take them to task,” the DIG said, adding that the motorbike used in the murder of Niazi was also recovered.

Residents concerned

Concerned over the recent incidents that came as grim reminder of the violence that the residents of Lyari had endured before, social activists in the area said that certain elements of the gang warfare had invested their illegal money in construction of high-rises through their front-men.

They said there was a mushroom growth of high-rise buildings in Lyari, which were being constructed in violation of all building codes and approved layout plans.

They believe that the issue was not only linked to civic problems but also related to the law and order of Lyari.

They demanded immediate attention of the authorities, particularly the Sindh government, before these issues become a contributory factor to law and order in the old city neighbourhoods.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2022