Karachi: Lyari gangwar big-gun Arshad Pappu, brother killed

KARACHI: Three of Lyari's most wanted gangwar suspects Arshad Pappu, his brother Yasir Arafat, and Jumma Shera Pathan have been killed in a shootout here, Geo News reported.

According to police, the bodies of the three were recovered from the Barohi Chowk in Lyari.

"They were kidnapped and later shot dead in captivity, it seems, but it is hard to establish what actually led the the deaths of gangsters. Only further investigation coupled with an autopsy report would pull the curtain on it", sources said.

The dead bodies of both the outlaw blood brothers were yet to be removed from the Barohi Chowk, however, Pathan's body was shifted to Civil Hospital, the sources added.

"The bullet-riddled bodies also bear marks of torture", they said.

Meanwhile, the police authorities who arrived at the scene a bit late, were facing problems rendering their duties for thousands of local residents who converged at the site were not letting them do so.

The sons of a veteran gangster Haji Lal Mohammad aka Lalu, who was also Rehman Dakait's godfather, Arshad Pappu and Yasir Arafat come from one of the most notorious criminal families of Lyari.

Arguably the architect of organized crime on not only his turf but the whole city as well, Pappu had been one of the main gangwarlords in Lyari.

He was arrested in 2007 but was out before long owing to lack of evidence. Last year he was acquitted in more than 50 cases.

Pappu, Arafat,and Pathan, who were awaiting several trials, were proclaimed offenders wanted for numerous of counts of murder, assault, drug-peddling, extortion, kidnapping for ransom, etc.

The Lyari gangwars span over nearly half a century as back in 1964, Dad Muhammad, also known as Dadal, tacked together a gang with his brother Sheru. The newly formed gang debuted with dealing in narcotics and associated felonies.

Dad Muhammad was the father of Rehman Baloch aka Rehman Dakait. Both, Dadal and Sheru challenged the then undisputed Karachi druglord who went by the name of Kala Nag. He was later killed in a shootout with cops.

After Nag's demise, his son Fazlu also known as Kala Nag II ganged up with Iqbal Dakait aka Babu declaring a war on their biggest threat, the Lalu clan.

As late as 1990s, Rehman got a power-boost after he shook hands with Khaled Shahanshah and others. Now he had some major political figures sitting in power corridors watching his back.

Reportedly both the men came to daggers drawn over a violation of code of honor among the gangsters over a kidnapping-for-ransom case, a rift that kept on gaping wider and wider in the days to come.

Subsequently, Lalu's son Arshad Pappu abducted one of Rehman Dakait's cousins, Faiz Muhammad, and killed him. After Faiz's murder, his son Uzair Baloch, another gangwarlord, succeeded Rehman 'Dakait' Baloch.

Uzair was later made the head of now defunct People's Amn Committee (PAC) in Lyari. After the PAC's disbanding Uzair is leading a ring of organized crime without having been caught despite many crackdowns.

On the other hand Lalu operated from Dubai, and his now deceased son Arshad Pappu in Karachi.

These gangsters warring for more and more control over their gangdoms have led to the he deaths of hundreds of people.

Police and Rangers have conducted a number of operations against these gangs, but have not been able to achieve a breakthrough. In most of the cases rival gangsters and not the men of law killed other gangsters.

Experts say the political parties under the aegis of which these gangsters operate are their main lifeline.