Ghaffar Zikri: a headache for police and gangsters

Lyari-based gangster Ghaffar Zikri is said to have been a headache not only for the police but also for Rehman Dakait, Uzair Baloch, Baba Ladla and other opponents. Every kingpin was killed or arrested over the years, but not Zikri — not until Thursday morning.

Karachi's notorious gangster Ghaffar Zikri killed in Lyari shootout

Being the last of his ilk, Zikri could have taken over the entire turf, but the police claimed to have shot him dead along with his close aide at a hideout from where he had been operating his gang for the past 15 years.

Zikri was considered the most wanted and ruthless gangster of Lyari who had also set up torture cells. He was booked in 65 cases of heinous crimes, such as kidnapping, murder and attack on law enforcers as well as rivals, extortion and running drug dens, but he was never arrested.

His opponents were never able to defeat him, so after every gang war Zikri’s rivals had to shake hands with him. But each of these friendships was short-lived.

Zikri had gone into hiding after the Karachi clean-up operation was launched in September 2013, but for the past one and a half years he had once again been operating out of his dominant Zikri Muhalla.

Zikri started his criminal career in early 2000 under the supervision of Allah Bahksh, a notorious criminal of Lyari’s Kalri neighbourhood. For the first two years he robbed houses and ran narcotic dens.

House robberies were not that common in Kalri before Zikri, so while one was in progress in 2002, scores of armed locals surrounded the house and engaged in a gunfight with Zikri and his gang. The budding kingpin managed to escape after the hour-long shoot-out and remained on the run until Thursday.

He joined Arshad Pappu’s gang in 2003. After Pappu’s arrest in 2006, Zikri took over his gang and proved to be a tough nut for their opponents, especially Dakait, which put him on the map.

Long turf wars between Dakait and Zikri could not kill the latter or kick him out of the area. Finally, in 2008, Dakait asked Zikri to start working with him. After Dakait was killed in an encounter, Baloch succeeded him. But when the gang war with Zikri rekindled, he was forced to leave the area.

After differences developed between Baloch and his gang’s chief operational commander, Ladla, the latter joined Zikri. The two gangs fought until the start of the Karachi operation.

Zikri went into hiding, while Ladla was killed and Baloch arrested. One and a half years ago, however, Zikri resurfaced. His name flashed on TV screens again after his gang attacked a Rangers team some three or four months ago.

Now Ghaffar Zikri’s brother Sheraz Zikri, who is currently somewhere in Balochistan, is likely to run the gang with around 25 of his foot soldiers.

* This profile is based on information provided by Ghaffar Zikri’s gang, police and locals