If numbers are anything to go by, we see that more than 30-odd civilians have been killed so far against five gangsters and seven police officials. Unfortunately, the numbers are bound to mount in the coming days if the situation does not improve. The operation has been going on in the area since April 2. The statistics show that elimination of each gangster costs lives of around six civilians besides security personnel. It is tragic and appalling. Residents of the violence-wracked locality have been shifting to safer places to avert attacks. They are also faced with severe food shortage and continuous failure of electricity and gas supply.

Who are these gangsters and criminals? The locality is considered to be bastion of Pakistan People’s Party and criminals against whom the targeted operation is being carried out were once considered beloved of the PPP top leadership. The PPP top leaders have not only been patronizing alleged goons like Uzair Jan Baloch but also declared them as heroes and champion of peace. Baloch was chief of defunct Peoples Aman Committee, an armed wing of the PPP Karachi chapter. Now, leadership of the PPP might have realized the fact that these people are actually bringing a bad name to the party.

Uzair Bloch and his other notorious accomplices including Habib Jan Baloch and Zafar Baloch have quit the PPP in reaction to the operation against them. Having lived in Karachi for more than seven years, I personally know all these are infamous drug-pushers, extortionists and arms dealers. They have set up their own militias in the locality and are involved in smuggling different contrabands from Balochistan and Iran as well.

Why are they so powerful? The goons have had their contacts in the corridors of power and they also grease palms of the law-enforcement agencies to keep their illegal activities flourishing. Former Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza has never hide his support to the alleged criminals and even declared them an ‘asset’ for the PPP. With the blessing of lawmakers like Mirza, the gangsters have got rockets, hand grenades and other sophisticated weapons which they have been using against the law-enforcers.

However, still the elusive peace can be restored in the volatile locality if all the stakeholders – PPP, MQM, ANP and JI – agree to one point agenda of deweaponising the city and abolish their armed wings. It appears a gigantic task but adopting the de-weaponisation bill (MQM submitted the bill with National Assembly in April last year) into proper legislation can do a significant help of law enforcers in bringing peace and stability to the economic hub of the country.

At the moment, the police are equipped with obsolete weapons while the criminals have got all the sophisticated weaponry of the modern times. The city police should be better equipped with night goggles, laser rifles, bullet proof vests and binoculars; so that they could target the criminals with precision. Trained snipers are also badly needed in the force as they can eliminate one criminal with one bullet. This way, we can also avoid killings of civilians in the crossfire.

The police force should also be depoliticized; so that it can take on criminals without any fear or favour. From Lyari operation, we know the police are targeting one group of gangsters with the help of another one. People ask why the police are not taking on Arshad Pappu group – another infamous gang of Lyari. One thing is for sure, criminals cannot be wiped out solely through operations as we all know violence further breeds violence. They must be offered one time amnesty to revoke their illegal activities. And also the locality has become a breeding ground of criminals; the government should focus on improving socio-economic condition of the blighted residents.

These are the pre-requisites for establishing permanent peace not only in Lyari but also in the whole Karachi. However, irony of the situation is that a foreign excursion is being planned for the prime minister to boost his credibility after being convicted by the Supreme Court. Lyari bleeds but the government has perhaps got some other important matters of ‘national interest’ to deal first.

I am now at the compound where this whole incident took place. On the third floor where the four terrorists blew themselves. The body parts are every where, blood is spread all over. Police and army is not allowing anybody inside. Only the police photographer is taking the photographs inside. There are blood on the cloths hanging inside. The four terrorists were encircled here. They refused to surrender and finally after 8 hours, decided to blew themselves. I was told by a policeman that they had no more arms left with them. Here groups after group of police and rangers are raising slogans like Allah Akbar (god is great). They are posing as they have conquered another country[. .]

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