KARACHI, March 18: Police on Friday raided around 150 houses in Jehanabad on a tip off that gang leader Arshad Pappu was present in the locality. “Though police made no arrests nor any weapons were recovered during the siege and search operation, which started at 5am, but police managed to penetrate deep into the strong hold of Arshad Pappu,” Lyari Town Police Officer Omar Shahid said. He said that police had started patrolling Afshani Gali, previously considered a no-go area for the police. In the siege and search operation in which area SHO and Industrial Crime Unit also took part, police destroyed bunkers as well. Police pulled out from the area at 4pm.

“We are trying to keep a constant pressure in the suspected hideouts following the recent encounter in which Abid was killed,” the TPO said.

Earlier on Sunday morning, close associate of gang leader Arshad Pappu was killed and his two relatives were arrested after an encounter in Pak Colony police limits.

On a tip off that Arshad Pappu and his associates were present in Lashari Mohalla the recently formed Industrial Crime Unit raided the spot ensuing firing. During the exchange of fire, police constable Fawad and Arshad’s associate Abid alias Tingu were wounded. However, Abid died before he could be shifted to the hospital. Police also arrested Arshad Pappu’s cousin Shakir and his nephew Ghani from the spot. They recovered two Kalashnikovs and TT pistols from the possession of the arrested suspects.

The Lyari gang-war fought between Arshad Pappu and Rehman Dakait groups has claimed hundreds of lives in the past few years. The police hierarchy has employed a number of police officials to curb the crime and arrest the main irritants, but mainly due to lack of will and problems in command structure – things did not work out.

In the past Jehanabad has witnessed similar search operations, but apparently due to lack of seriousness on part of the government such exercises failed to bear any fruit. The so-called top police officials, who enjoy “star” status, have also been posted in Lyari, but they too failed to deliver the required results. The Lyari Town has perhaps witnessed the most frequent transfer postings of TPOs and as well as SHOs.