Senior People’s Amn Committee leader Zafar Baloch was arrested from Lyari on Sunday during the ongoing search operations by the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) across Karachi. However, Baloch, who is also former Pakistan People’s Party-South secretary, was granted a “conditional” release after interrogation, sources said.
According to a brief statement issued by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) following Baloch’s release, the party condemned the Amn Committee leader’s release. MQM leaders claimed that Baloch is involved in the Lyari gang war and supports extortionists. On the other hand, Baloch said the operations are being conducted on the instructions of MQM-backed Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, and the innocent people of Lyari are being targeted because of that.
Moreover, a prominent figure of the Lyari gang war, Rashid alias Rekha, was also arrested with weapons during the search operation and taken to an undisclosed location for questioning. Law enforcers conducted search operations in different parts of the metropolitan and arrested over 200 suspects with weapons.
After cordoning off different areas of Lyari, over 179 suspects were arrested with weapons during a door-to-door search operation. Furthermore, over 18 suspects with weapons were arrested after cordoning off Baldia Town’s Dawood Goth. On information provided by Kamran alias Madhuri, the main accused of the Chakra Goth police van attack, three suspects affiliated with a political party were arrested from Korangi’s Chakra Goth with heavy weapons.
Separately, a Crime Investigation Department (CID) team raided Gulistan-e-Jauhar’s Rabia City and arrested Awami National Party (ANP) Ward President Qadir Dayo with a weapon. The CID also arrested ANP Ward General Secretary Tahir Khattak with a TT pistol and Hikmat Khan alias Fauji with a Kalashnikov from Gulistan-e-Jauhar.
Most of the suspects detained on Sunday were released after interrogation, whereas others have been shifted to undisclosed locations.
Amn Committee leader’s release after arrest irks MQM
