After normalcy returned to Lyari with a temporary ceasefire in place, violence erupted in Orangi Town on Saturday as three people were gunned down in the area by unidentified assailants. A heavy contingent of police, Frontier Constabulary (FC) and Pakistan Rangers was called in the multi-ethnic town for maintaining the law and order from spiraling out of control.
Armoured personnel carriers (APC) that remained engaged in Lyari during the past week were rushed to Orangi on Saturday. After the killings, the Pashtuns and Urdu-speaking population of Orangi Town came face to face, blaming each other for the incidents. The Kati Pahari area echoed with gunfire after the killing of two Pashtuns in Qasba Colony and soon after, an Urdu-speaking community member was shot dead. Exchange of gunfire was reported from several other areas as tension prevailed over the entire town, resulting in the closure of shops and markets. Peerabad SHO Pervez Gujjar told Pakistan Today that two Pashtuns were gunned down by unidentified armed men in Qasba 2 ½, Orangi Town. He said Muzzammil, 26, and his cousin Imran were sitting at their poultry shop in the area when two unidentified attackers riding a motorcycle sprayed bullets on them. The victims suffered serious bullet injuries and were rushed to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where they succumbed to their wounds. Gujjar said unidentified armed miscreants took to the streets and forcibly closed down shops and markets after the killings. Later, a 26-year-old man identified as Ghayyas was shot dead by unidentified assailants. The killing sparked further violence in the Urdu-speaking dominated areas. SITE SP Malik Zafar Iqbal said the killing had caused panic in Orangi Town but the situation was under control and routine life had resumed in the area. He said the FC personnel deployed in Lyari last week were called to Orangi and they had taken control of pickets in the area. He said Rangers personnel had also started patrolling and snap-checking had begun to keep an eye on suspects. Iqbal said that none of the three victims had affiliations with any political or religious party. “An uncle of the two slain Pashtuns is said to be associated with the Pakistan People’s Party,” he added. Sindh Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Shah later expressed satisfaction with police’s performance in Lyari operation and admitted that security forces had no clue that they would face serious resistance from the criminals. He said gangsters had been given two days to surrender and a new policy was being devised to make progress after the operation resumed after 48 hours. Shah said the operation had not been halted at anyone’s request and it would resume after 48 hours with fresh strategies in order to achieve the targets.
Also, unidentified arsonists set on fire two offices of Sunni Tehreek in Lines Area.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rehman Malik boosted the morale of Karachi police on Saturday, calling the force the number one police force of Pakistan.
