Lyari residents welcome operation against criminals

19 Jul, 2004

The people of Karachi city including the law-abiding residents of the Lyari have welcomed very warmly the ongoing law enforcement agencies operations against the notorious criminal gangs in Lyari area especially the Jehanahad locality.
People from all walks of life have warmly lauded the action taken under the orders of the Chief Minister of Sindh Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, the Minister for Home Affairs Rauf Siddiqui and Provincial Police Chief Syed Kamal Shah with Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan stressing the law enforcement agencies of the need to clear the city of Karachi of all so-called mafia and criminal elements.
Official sources told UPP that the residents of Lyari area have urged that the operation must be carried to its logical end no matter 'how long it takes'.
Many residents said that this was the first time such an operation has been launched in the area by the authorities and they are praying that 'it must succeed'. Most of the people viewed that the mafia and criminal gangs have their hideouts outside the area also and the police should comb those too.
Several area residents, who wanted to remain anonymous, told UPP that Arshad Pappu and other gangs in the area have very sophisticated methods of hiding their weapons in places not easily traceable.
There were tunnels dug up in some areas, which are known only to the gangs' members. They said that these tunnels are being used often by the criminal gangs to escape from one area of Lyari to the other and some of the small-level police personnel, who at one time were cahoots with the criminal gangs knew where these tunnels are located.
Many of the elected Councilors of the area have not only welcomed this operation but also called for similar operations launched in all other outlying areas of the city where the mafia and encroachment gangs are operating.

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