The Nation

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Urdu-speaking people asked to shift from Lyari

MANSOOR KHAN

KARACHI: Lyari Amman Committee has warned rival ethnic population to evacuate Lyari following break out of riots after Shair Shah Incident and reports of possible operation against Lyari gangsters.

The Nation has learnt.

Government and law enforcement agencies seem reluctant to halt the violence which has claimed some 80 lives within last 72 hours.

According the reports lethargic attitude of the government fuelled the violence across the city and now gangsters are echoing from Lyari mosque asking Urdu-speaking people to shift from their houses as soon as possible.

Sources in Lyari confirmed the announcement of gangsters those warned Urdu-speaking residents of Lyari for leaving the houses before any operation planed by the law enforces.

Frequently incidents of target killing and torture marked bodies found in different areas of south zone of the metropolis did not attract the attention of authorities in last three days.

Numerous sources have confirmed the kidnapping of number of innocent people from adjacent areas of Lyari, kept in the custody of Lyari gangsters and their shooting dead. Torture marked bodies have been found from the surrounding of Lyari. City Police Chief Fayez Laghri when contacted said that bodies were found from different areas but declined to know the abducted people.

Similarly, SP Rana Pervaiz Mehmood, Town Police Officer Lyari, when contacted said we don’t have any information about the people kept in the custody of gangsters.

Although, heavy contingents of rangers rushed to Lyari on Sunday after being informed about the people detained in Lyari but were unable to start the operation because of the interference of government hierarchy.

Confrontation between the Lyari gangsters and other Urdu speaking people flared up on last Wednesday when bodies of two MQM workers were found from adjacent areas of Lyari. Following the killing of MQM workers skirmishes boosted up between the rival groups while two bodies were found near Nazimabad Inquiry Office. Both were identified as operatives of Lyari Peace Committee.

The above said cadres of LPC were abducted from Usmanabad area and later their tortured bodies were thrown at the said place.

In retaliation of the killing of Baloch, armed men abducted some dozen people from different areas and took them to the Lyari where the victims were subjected to torture

first and later their shot dead bodies were found from different areas of Lyari.

A senior police official wishing to be anonymous told that lives of the current victims of Kabari Market and others could be saved, if operation against the said gangsters is initiated on Wednesday.

He said the situation of Lyari is evident where use of heavy weaponry including light machineguns and rocket launchers is common but authorities tide the hands of law enforcers for any action against them.