KARACHI: Fear and tension is still visible around Lyari “Jhatpat Market” where a hand grenade blast took place on Saturday, leaving 16 people injured including women and children. Shakir alias” shakkar” a Gang War commander from the Baba Ladla group is reportedly behind the attack, a source from Lyari informed Daily Times.
“Police and other LAEs have failed to control these miscreants in the Gang War and after every one or two weeks they show their presence to the residents of Lyari by attacking and targeting innocent people. That is how they are are successfully managing to collect funds through extortion from traders in the area – by creating fear in their hearts”, explained Anwar Baloch a resident of Lyari.
Another source – on condition of anonymity – shared that the Baba Ladla and Ghaffar Zikri gangs, who were previously rivals, have now partnered against the Uzair Baloch Group. They have declared war with the aim to capture Baloch’s strongholds. “When the hand grenade was thrown, Gang leader Ghaffar Zikri – despite being ‘Most Wanted’ – was present in the Ali Muhammad Muhalla of Lyari Town. This shows that Gang War elements are not taking the LAE’s seriously” the source further revealed.
At least 16 people were wounded in the hand grenade attack in the oft troubled Lyari neighborhood late on Saturday evening. The attack occurred in a crowded Jhatpat Market situated on Gharib Shah Road in Lyari’s Chakiwara area where Pakistani and Irani Goods are being dumped. The injured were immediately shifted to Civil Hospital, Karachi for medical treatment. Police and Rangers reached the site to inquire about the incident and to collect evidence. Chakiwara DSP Zahid Hussain believed gangsters belonging to the Baba Ladla group could have been behind the incident however, further investigations were still underway. Inspector General of Police Sindh, Allah Dino Khowaja, took immediate notice of the incident and asked the police officials concerned to submit a report and arrest the suspects behind the incident. No arrests were made while the overnight search operation in different parts of Lyari neighborhood continued.
