A paramilitary soldier loads a man into the back of a ranger's van after he was detained during a house to house search in Karachi. – Reuters

KARACHI: During a seven-hour operation in the Lyari area, Rangers arrested more than a dozen suspected criminals on Sunday, DawnNews reported.

The Rangers also destroyed two torture cells and seized a heavy cache of weapons.

The Rangers cordoned off the Nayabad area of Lyari early in the morning and launched a door-to-door search.

As soon as the operation was launched, residents of Lyari started protesting against the raids and blocked the roads, however, the Rangers continued the search.

The head of Sachal Rangers, Brigadier Waseem Ayub also visited the area with media persons and briefed them with the details of the operation.

Separately, it was also reported that PPP senior leader Dr Zulfiqar Mirza resigned from his party post in protest against the operation conducted by the Rangers in Lyari this morning.