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Yesterday I tweeted a photo of a busy market scene in #Lyari, & many folks responded by thanking the Rangers & the Pakistan army, so let's talk about the long and convoluted history of the army & intelligence agency's in one of Karachi's most troubled areas (a long thread).
The 'gangwar' that gripped Lyari for years was the result both of interference by some leaders of the PPP & by members of the military establishment (including the army & intelligence agencies). Parts of both the PPP & the establishment worked together to prop up the gangs.
One of the earliest evidences of this is the fact that Rehman Dakait who was arrested in 2006 by Chaudhry Aslam and kept in custody for 3 months in Quetta was 'allowed' to escape allegedly by members of the intelligence agencies in August 2006. Why? dawn.com/news/262835
He returned to Lyari to resume his criminal activities & ongoing conflict with Arshad Pappu (who was affiliated with the MQM). Rehman & his men became closer to the PPP leadership, & Rehman can be seen pictured with Benazir during the first attack against her in Karachi in 2007. 
The gangwar ended in 2008 after the PPP one the election, & the People's Aman Committee (PAC) was created with their blessing & one can assume the blessing of the intelligence agencies. Rehman reframed himself as 'Sardar Rehman Baloch' & became the head of this organisaiton.
Rehman began to be viewed as a kind of 'Robin Hood' figure, pushing the state to take responsibility for public works & infrastructure & engaging in social work in the area. He began imagining himself as a leader in his own right rather than just a tool for the PPP & agencies.
This is perhaps why he did not last long. Rehman was finally killed by Chaudhry Aslam in a police encounter in 2009. Rehman was becoming too big for his boots, so his killing was finally approved by the higher ups in the party & presumably the agencies: thenews.com.pk/archive/print/…?
He was replaced by Uzair Baloch, less a gangster & more an aspiring politician. Uzair's father, a transporter named Mama Faizu, was killed by Arshad Pappu's guys, so he had a personal stake in the game. He also ran for nazim in 2001 & lost: dawn.com/news/1153918
Uzair continued along the same lines as Rehman, engaging in social work to keep & acting as the unofficial leader of the area. The PAC set up offices across most of Lyari similar to the MQM's unit offices & were the main point people for residents to access state resources.
This was encouraged both by the PPP, for which the PAC was acting as their 'militant wing' against the MQM & also most likely by the army, for whom the PAC acted as control against any Baloch nationalist activities that might be taking place in the area. ecpr.eu/Filestore/Pape…
Lyari had always been one of the major seats of organising for Baloch nationalists in Pakistan. Many in Lyari argue that one of the major reasons for allowing the gangs to thrive, at least from the establishment's perspective, was to act as a halt against nationalist activities.
Friends have testified that Rehman's men actually prevented people in Lyari from agitating after the assassination of Akbar Bugti in 2006 (soon after Rehman's release). This was their first indication that the gangs had been coopted by the agencies. Uzair continued this trend.
Posters like this one, which I took a photo of in Aman Park in 2012, could be seen in various parts of Lyari. Zulfiqar Mirza, who bragged about giving 300,000 weapons licenses to his 'bacche' in Lyari, is pictured alongside General Kiyani & Uzair. What message is being given?
In March 2013, Razzaq Baloch who worked for Daily Tawar which had its office in Lyari, went missing. 13 days later, the office was torched, & Razzaq's mutilated body was found 5 months later in Surjani Town. At this time, Uzair's guys controlled Lyari: bbc.com/news/world-asi…
Soon after this, a conflict erupted between Baba Ladla & Uzair dividing Lyari agan, & an Operation was launched in Karachi to 'clean up' all violent actors including the gangs. Uzair was allowed to flee to Dubai & was arrested one year later by Interpol: tribune.com.pk/story/814399/i…
*agencies. 🙄
Uzair was arrested once again under 'mysterious circumstances' one year later supposedly in Chakiwara, Lyari. He was again kept in custody for several months before finally being handed over to the army. Where was he in the meantime? What was happening? dawn.com/news/1236534
Uzair has been charged with various crimes including spying for Iran & several murder cases, but no trial has taken place. Seems they are holding onto him till becomes useful. The Sindh High Court recently asked that Uzair be produced in court to no avail: tribune.com.pk/story/1880255/…
If this story does not smell fishy to you, then you need to get your nose checked. The story of Lyari demonstrates a wider pattern in Pakistan of politicians colluding with the establishment in order to secure their own interests all to the detriment of the common people.
There are parallels that can be drawn with what has happened in Waziristan with Aman Committees also being set up there made up of former Taliban fighters. In this way, the state uses non-state actors in order to do their 'dirty work'. The claims of the #PTM reflect this.
So pardon me if I am not ready to give credit for the peace in Lyari to the army or Rangers. I & most residents of Lyari know how both the PPP & the establishment have strengthened the gangs in order to support their interests & gotten rid of them when they were no longer of use.
We also know that they could come back at any time, as and when necessary. Until the pattern of state (mis)management changes, peace in Karachi & in the country as a whole, will remain temporary & fleeting. (end of thread)
*won. 🙄
Sorry for the typos in this thread. Was writing this in between Eid prep. Re-reading now and getting irritated with my sloppiness. 🙄🙏🏽
