President orders barbwire fence on Karachi-B'stan border

KARACHI: Lyari violence finally saw a letup late in the night between Monday and Tuesday with Rangers patrolling the hostile territories to ensure the ceasefire lasts, Geo News reported.

The violent skirmishes devoured at least seven people including the Vice President of PPP Lyari, Hassan Soomro on Monday.

The deafening gunfire, which grew louder and louder in the day, also echoed in the Presidency as in a statement issued, President Asif Ali Zardari, sounded off his concerns over the violent bloodletting in one of Pakistan Peoples Party’s strongholds in the metropolis.

As a measure to choke off the infiltration of gunslingers into as well as out of hostile zone, President Zardari has ordered the authorities to erect a barbwire fence separating the areas of Balochistan bordering on Karachi.

Analysts say the heaviest casualty of Lyari hostilities, the Vice President of PPP Lyari, Hassan Soomro, has complicated the situation.

Taking a serious note of the Lyari's plight, President has also ordered an inquiry into Soomro's murder directing the lawenforcers to apprehend his murderers on the prompt.

Earlier talking to Geo News Nabil Gabol has said Hassan was standing at Aath Chowk when unidentified man attacked him. MLO Civil Hospital confirmed the death of the PPP leader.

Nine including two policemen were injured during the clashes.
The law and order situation deteriorated in Lyari following the killing of a 'gangster' during a police encounter on Sunday.

An inquiry has been ordered into the killing and Deputy Commissioner South has been made the inquiry officer.

The killing of the 'gangster' triggered clashes between angry residents and police who took a violent turn on Monday.

The police resorted to tear gas shelling to control the situation while some unidentified men forced the shopkeepers to shut markets in the area.

On Sunday, the police raided the Chakiwara area in Lyari during which they claimed to have killed a known gangster Saqib alias Sakhi in an encounter. An ASI was also injured during the shootout.

According to SSP Mohammed Aslam Khan of CID Sindh, the police acting on a tip off raided a place in Chakiwara No-II. Upon seeing the police the gangsters opened fire and an encounter ensued during which Saqib alias Sakhi of the Lyari gang war group and ASI Waheed sustained injuries.

However, Saqib's accomplices Umer katchi, Baba Ladla, Abdul Jabbar alias Jeango, Taj Mohammed alias Taju and others fled, taking advantage of narrow lanes. The police recovered one Kalashnikov and a 9mm pistol from the possession of Saqib.