Karachi operation: Two 'gang-members' killed during Rangers raid in Lyari

KARACHI: Two 'criminals' allegedly linked with the Uzair Baloch group, operating in Karachi's Old Golimar Area, were killed by Rangers in an exchange of fire in the early hours of Sunday.

The 'gangsters' were identified as Adnan Baloch and Sajid Ganga, who were wanted for a number of target killings, kidnapping for ransom and "other vicious crimes", according to a Rangers press release.

Rangers also claimed the recovery of weapons and ammunition from their possession.

An intelligence-based targeted operation had been conducted on the suspected hideouts of gang war criminals in Lyari Town, a Rangers press release said.

The suspects snuck into a hideout located at Adam Tea Store around 2:30am, in efforts to evade arrest and flee, after opening indiscriminate fire at the Rangers troops, the press release further said.

"The Rangers retaliated effectively, killing two of them while others escaped, seeking cover of darkness and narrow streets," the press release said.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday said that the ongoing operation against criminals in Karachi would be taken to its logical conclusion, Dawn newspaper earlier reported.

"The miscreants now are carrying out cowardly attacks as a last resort but are destined to be defeated ultimately," he said.

According to a performance report on the ongoing Karachi operation prepared by the Sindh home department, police had recorded 935 shootings against criminal gangs and individuals by the end of July, which are 66 more than the 869 encounters last year, Dawn newspaper reported in August.

A total of 596 gangs have been busted – 118 more than the 478 gangs eliminated last year, while 386 ‘criminals’ have been ‘neutralised’ – 125 more than the alleged criminals gunned down in 2014.

Also read: Karachi operation: 386 ‘criminals’ eliminated this year