KARACHI - The defunct People’s Aman Committee (PAC) leader Zafar Baloch and his associate were shot dead in an armed attack at Bazinjo Chowck, Lyari, in the jurisdiction Kalakot police station.
Following the incident, tension gripped Lyari and surrounding areas while a number of gunmen came out on the streets and resorted to aerial firing. Miscreants burnt tyres in the surroundings of Lyari to protest the killing of Zafar Baloch. Commercial and non-commercial activities also remained suspended in the vicinity.
The sources privy to the matter revealed that Zafar Baloch and his friend were on a motorbike when gunmen on four motorcycles sprayed bullets on them and managed to flee. Zafar sustained multiple bullet wounds and died on the spot while his friend Muhammad Ali succumbed to his injures on his way to hospital. Two others, Hasnain Baloch and Usman Baloch, also sustained bullet wounds and were admitted to hospital. It is worth mentioning here that Zafar Baloch also escaped a grenade attack a couple of years ago.
Zafar Baloch was general secretary of PPP south zone. He joined People’s Aman Committee in 2008 and became its prominent leader when was attacked in Lyari.
Zafar Baloch and Uzair Jan Baloch gave a political face to Lyari gangsters and tried to establish a nexus among different armed groups of Lyari, Maripur and Pak Colony. Baloch was authorised by Lyari gangsters’ chief, Noor Muhammad Baba Ladla, to represent Aman Committee. He was a nominated accused in several criminal cases, including murders, kidnapping for ransom and extortion. The Sindh government had also announced a bounty of Rs 500,000, but, later, the head money was withdrawn on political reconciliation.  No case has so far been registered while SSP Bashir Memon said it was an act of a targeted killing as police had gathered empty shells of the weapons used by the assailants.
Meanwhile, the law-enforcement agencies claimed to have killed three gangsters and a militant in joint operations conducted in Lyari and Mangopir area of the metropolis on Wednesday.
Police and Rangers conducted a joint raid in various areas of Lyari. As the forces reached the area of Shah Baig Lane, Lyari, gangsters resorted to indiscriminate firing on them. As a result of exchange of fire between the gangsters and the law enforces, three gangsters were killed while six others were arrested and weapons recovered from them. The Rangers also claimed the gangsters killed and arrested were associated with Jabbar Aka Jangu group.
An encounter took place when the forces reached close to the hideout of Jangu, the second most important commander of Lyari chief gangster, Noor Muhammad Aka Baba Ladla. The killed gangsters included Abdul Ghafoor Katchi, Imran Chohan and Noman Aka Nomi Patni.
Meanwhile, Crime Investigation Department (CID) claimed to have killed a member of outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in an alleged encounter in Manghopir locality.
Police, Rangers and intelligence agency personnel conducted a raid in the area dominated by TTP. During an exchange of fire, one of the terrorists was injured and shifted to hospital while seven other militants managed to escape. The injured terrorist succumbed to his injuries at Civil Hospital. He was identified as Hazrat Ali belonging to Hakeemullah Mehsud group of TTP.