News Analysis |
Karachi police killed a notorious, and one of the most wanted Lyari gangsters, Ghaffar Zikri, his three-year-old son, and one of his accomplices — Chota Zahid, on Thursday morning in an operation.
The successful police operation took place in Lyari’s Ali Mohammad Mohalla—where the criminal was hiding. According to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Javed Odho, two police officers were also seriously injured in the ambush and are receiving treatment in the hospital. One of the injured policemen is in a critical state as per media reports.
Police claim that it embarked on a mission to protect the citizens of the city, and is trying to rebuild the institution.
Police had received the intelligence tip-off from an informer regarding the presence of the Zikri in the area. The operation lasted for 90 minutes as the gangsters gave a tough time and attacked the police with the hand grenades.
The assault team was provided a backup as the contingents of police and Rangers surrounded the Ali Mohammad Mohalla from all sides after the encounter began. The research teams of the security agencies also started the operation in the surrounding areas.
Read more: Karachi will change Pakistan – Farid A Malik
Karachi police Chief Amir Ahmed Shaikh took credit for conducting a successful operation and said that the Police department is making efforts to improve the law and order situation in the provincial capital. Police claim that it embarked on a mission to protect the citizens of the city, and is trying to rebuild the institution. “The arrest of a high-profile criminal in last one and half month is the testimony to Police’s increased efforts”, Shaikh said.
Ghaffar, termed as one of the most wanted criminals of Karachi, was on the run ever since the Karachi operation was launched and was wanted in many cases registered in Lyari, Maripur, Old City Area and Baldia Town.
He was cleaning his pistol at his house when the shot was fired—which hit Aqsa playing in a playground near the police training center.
He was accused in a number of cases including the targeted killing, drug dealing, extortion, and kidnapping for ransom etc. It is understandable that police in Sindh is trying to revamp the institution. But, the death of the child in the encounter reflects the incompetency and gross human rights violation.
Karachi police are already under for killing innocent children in the city. On August 13, Karachi Police killed a 10-year old girl, Amal Umer during a police encounter with robbers in Defence. Police claimed it was unintentional death and department is going to take action against the responsible officer(s).
Read more: TTP terror: 3 TTP operatives killed in Karachi as terror plot…
In another incident on September 28, a police constable named Waseem Ahmad killed a seven-year-old girl, Aqsa, from Saeedabad. He was cleaning his pistol at his house when the shot was fired—which hit Aqsa playing in a playground near the police training center.
In Ghaffar Zikri’s son’s case, the Police admitted that it was aware of the presence of his son, resultant, it should have taken assistance from other security agencies to ensure the safety of the three-year-old, who should not have paid the price for the illegal activities of his father. Police should be trained to reduce the collateral damage in such attacks in the future.