KARACHI, July 20: The reopening of shops and the resumption of gas, water and electricity supplies to gang war scarred Lyari are all signs that life is slowly crawling back to normal in the area as people, who have returned to their homes following the recent operation, are trying to restart their lives from scratch.

“I have reopened my shop after three months’ closure,” a smiling Mohammad Feroz, owner of a laundry, said in Eidhu Lane. However, he didn’t appear to have much work in hand.

A recent visit by Sindh Home Minister Zulfikar Mirza has sped up the development work, which includes installation of gas meters, most of which were damaged by bullets, energizing of electric poles and re-connection of water connections.

A recent visit to Eidhu Lane and Ali Mohammad Mohallah showed that SSGC employees were installing new gas meters, while the KESC staffers were installing electricity poles. Raw material required for road construction was also dumped close to the Maulvi Usman Park. However, residents who have come back to their houses were bitter over the fact that nothing valuable was left in their abandoned homes.

A union council official told Dawn that the DDO revenue is compiling a list of residents with details of their claims; an entry on the list may bring some sort of respite for the residents, the official said.

A physically challenged man, Mohammad Rehman, was sitting at his small shop selling thread. He had also reopened his shop after three months: not a single item was found in the shop when he returned.

However, Abdul Ghafoor was not so fortunate. He took this reporter inside his house to show the broken structure and blackened walls. “They fired rockets at our house damaging it badly,” said Ghafoor.

A multi-story house in Eidhu Lane, which was used as a bunker for Rehman Dakait’s operatives, has been taken over by the police.

The police and Rangers have also taken up positions close to the house of Ghaffar Zikri – the other main player in the Lyari gang war – which is vacant and frequented by the law enforcers in search of clues.

Close to Ghaffar Zikri’s house, the Zikri sect’s place of worship is situated in the Zikri Mohallah. It is occupied by women, whose slippers were scattered outside and where law enforcement personnel hesitate to enter.

On the other hand life is normal in Afshani Gali, the stronghold of Rehman Dakait, which also contains his house. The entire area bears graffiti along the lines of: ‘Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch is the pride of Lyari; on behalf of the people of Karachi.’

A visit to the areas adjoining Afshani Gali and reading the graffiti on the wall gave one the impression that Rehman Dakait is in fact the ‘sardar’ of the area, who patronizes the local Pakistan People’s Party leaders.

A somewhat similar situation was seen in the Zikri Mohallah close to the Zikr Khana, where leftover graffiti from the recent general elections read: ‘MQM welcomes on behalf of Ghaffar Bhai …’ adding the names of the candidates who contested the general elections.

Even the condition of the roads was much better in the Rehman dominated area compared with the rest of Lyari, the visit showed.

The great escape

It is common knowledge, at least among the law enforcement circles, that ‘Sardar’ Abdul Rehman Baloch has already escaped to Balochistan, while Ghaffar Zikri has taken refuge somewhere in Saeedabad, Baldia Town.

“If the law enforcement agencies decide to enter Afshani Gali, it will be nothing more than a mere symbolic gesture, as all the gang members have already left the area. The chance of recovery of any weapons is also very bleak,” an official remarked.

Still, there is a sense of hesitation on part of the law enforcement agencies to venture into Afshani Gali, apparently due to the political pressure. However, such an impression was dispelled by SP Lyari Raja Umar Khattab, who told Dawn that the law enforcers hope to raid Afshani Gali in the next few days, adding that they have cleared Eidhu Lane, which was occupied by Rehman’s associates. The law enforcement officials have all along stressed that it has been an even-handed operation.

Reward money

The Sindh police have suggested to the home department to raise the head money on Ghaffar Zikri. At present he carries an amount of Rs300,000 on his head, whereas he is wanted in over 50 different criminal cases.

“Similarly, there are dozens of criminals who were active in Lyari but were not wanted in police records nor had any rewards on their heads,” the SP Lyari explained.

The criminal elements from the rest of the city often used to take refuge with either of the gangs in Lyari before the recent operation. Lately, both gangs had been keeping the kidnapping for ransom victims in Lyari. Before the operation, they had released the victims.

“A Rapid Response Unit has been formed in Lyari comprising elite commandos and snipers. The unit will be employed in special situations to take on the gangsters,” the SP remarked.