Black Sheep of Layari

The following story is about the drug dealers and negative elements of Lyari, original theme of which is provided by a native Baloch dweller of Lyari. This is an outcome, based on the narrations of eyewitnesses. Owing to the nature, importance, further in order

to alert my Baloch people, actual names, and actual places were mentioned, instead of fake once. We the Baloch are symbol of ‘bravery’, ‘honor’ & ‘generosity’, yet, among us, there are ‘black sheeps’ as general in other communities. This is just a beginning effort to reveal such elements.


It was the night of September 09, 2003. Mr. Taj Babu, an honorable Baloch elder, former candidate for Nazim, found himself captured by Mr. Shahzad Baloch & his bad companion, Shahzad, a notorious murderer, drug trafficker & gang leader, following Rehman dacoit!., the place was a dark, narrow ally of Gul Muhammad Lane. Suddenly, mischievous, Shahzad shouted with a menacing tone at Mr. Taj:

“Did you inform the police about my activities”?

“No, I didn’t, why should I” (pleaded Mr. Taj, terrified).


“Don’t make me a fool anymore, it can be only you”, (Shahzad abused with his evil expressions) & thrashed poor Babu on the ground. On seeing the danger, Mr. Taj, tried to flee from the scene, the chase began. The rogue didn’t care and started to fire at the poor fellow, the bullet missed the target. After a few moment of chase, Mr. Taj, almost stripped, fleeing on Tannery Road, for his life….., police mobile was also there but didn’t bother to interfere… people are just spectators, the mischievous (Shahzad) again fired, this time the fatal bullet finds its victim… an innocent passerby …… Mr. Habib, a young Baloch….was killed. The scene is now changed, it is next morning at 6.30 a.m., the loudspeakers of local mosques of Gul Muhammad Lane, are breaking the news of the demise of Mr. Habib, his burial will be at 10.00 a.m.!……..

Dear readers, the above scene is not taken from any Balochi movie, but revealing a harsh reality, rather a normal routine for poor Baloch Lyarities, who are as before now, a victim of troubles & anguish but the worst negative aspect is that they are the victim of their ‘own kind’…

There is no doubt that theory of ‘Cause & Effect’ really works every where, as the incident of 9/11 is the best example. After USA attack, followed by collapse & withdrawal of Taliban from the land of Afghanistan, the Poppy cultivation has boomed again, accordingly, the doors of paradise are opened for the drug traffickers in Pakistan / Afghanistan. The activities of drug dealers in Lyari are also accelerated. All the efforts to shut this evil business down at Lyari, have failed, since the present Nazim Mr. Abdul Rauf Baloch from Kalakot, Lyari, is also from the same category & the famous drug trading route from Hub Chowki has been activated.

If we probe into the history of Lyari, drug dealing & mischief, there we come across with certain chain of names like Sherok Dadol, Babu Dacoit Majeed Speed, Kala Naag, Kamal Khan & the recent terrors like Rehman dacoit & Shahzad! & the abode of such evil persons were always Kalakot / Rekser Lane, Dubai Chowk, Jumman Shah Plot / Rangiwara, Kalri & Gul Muhammad Lane, Lyari, Karachi. The evil chain is continuously evolving, these people are not outsiders but Baloch themselves & those places also hold the memories of murders of innocent youths, drug addicts, suppressions & backwardness. The ugly figures will always be remembered as ‘stain on Baloch nation’.

Each of these sectors in Lyari is operated by an individual, notorious gang leader or Dada & several times clashes have occurred among these groups. This is simply not possible without the co-operation of police, which has restricted itself to certain amount of taking bribe or ‘bhattha’ from the elements.

For example Kalakot, a famous place of drug dealing is currently ‘owned’ by notorious, Rehman Baloch (often called as Rehman dacoit), who has now openly established an office at Jhatpat Market, Chakiwara, Lyari, in the guise of Mohafiz or protectors for the vendors. Now the criminal guy with his evil allies takes Battah from the shopkeepers and drug business is flourishing in the market & nearby area. There are several agents / spies, always working for Rehman, who can be seen, roaming in the market, equipped with weapons. Dozens of agents / vendors including women sell drugs like Chars, Heroin under cover of fruits / vegetables which are hugely imported from Hub Chowki, Balochistan. Police authorities are helpless, because Nazim (Mr. Rauf Baloch) is his right hand. A huge monthly amount is paid to the local SHO, Chakiwara, besides people are also scared to report for any activities, killing a person is not a big thing for them. He doesn’t know the word: ‘mercy’, as the notorious guy is also crowned with the title of ‘killer of his own mother’!

After emergence of Mr. Rauf Baloch, Rehman dacoit has got his support and walls of Lyari can be seen with chalking like:

“Rehman dacait Nahen Hai” (Rehman is not a Dacoit)

He also has many wives, as celebrating marriage on gunpoint is his favorite hobby. Many respectable Baloch people of his area, against whom Mr. Rehman has a grudge, are either forced to leave their houses or living a terrible life.

On the other hand, at Gul Muhammad Lane, Shahzad Baloch is reigning with terror. Shahzad is one of the brothers of Salam Baloch (often called) Salam Chars Wala. The family, obviously, has a genetic tendency for drug dealing & terror. This terror is stretching from street No. 7 onward, especially street No.20 & Masajid Road are the prime headquarters for such rogue activities. Their family women are also involved in this evil business. Many times; police raided their houses but proved nothing. The Baloch dwellers of the locality are just spectators or sufferers. Even youths from religious background have observed a long silence, as according to their assumptions, fighting against ‘internal evils or enemies’ is not Jihaad but going to Afghanistan & serving their lives are.

Murder of Mr. Habib Baloch is not a single instant; there are many murders on Mr. Shahzad’s Credit. The guy is also a psycho case, as he cannot bear a person, who continuously stares at him! A decade earlier, Mr. Aslam was also one of the drug gang leaders at the vicinity; clashes between Aslam & Salam were normal routine. A splendid plaza at the Tannery Road, Lyari, is still owned by Mr. Aslam.

Now, we are at the opposite side of Lyari General Hospital, here in Kalri Mohallah, another paradise for drug dealers, where children & women in the dark allies of the locality can be found, dealing in drugs. The native Baloch of these localities have became accustomed to the sound of firing. Threatening, wounding, killing is a normal routine; such cases are often closed without any investigation.

Besides, such areas, Singolane, Baghdadi are also famous in Lyari for drug dealing. Only Allah knows when such stories will be remembered as ‘wind of the past’. Being a native Baloch of Lyari, further witnessing the meager struggle from the Baloch people of the locality, one thing is for sure that when this article will be published, even after a decade, the situation will still be intact.