Jailed Pak gangster Uzair Baloch's brother shot in Karachi, gang rivalry probed

Zubair Baloch was shot outside his Lyari residence and taken to hospital in critical condition. Police are probing gang rivalry, personal enmity and reports of renewed gang movement in the area.Jailed Pakistani gangster Uzair BalochZubair Baloch, the brother of jailed gangster and former People's Amn Committee chief Uzair Baloch, was critically injured after unidentified gunmen opened fire on him outside his residence in Karachi's Lyari area on Thursday evening, Pakistan's Dawn reported.According to police, the attack took place in Karachi’s Lyari area when armed assailants riding a motorcycle opened fire on the 40-year-old before fleeing the scene.Along with Zubair, two passersby were also injured in the shooting. All three were shifted to Civil Hospital Karachi, where Zubair underwent surgery for multiple bullet injuries to his chest and abdomen. One of the bystanders was also reported to be in serious condition.South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that Zubair had been arrested in seven criminal cases in 2012 and was released from prison in January 2025. Police said they were investigating the shooting from multiple angles, including gang rivalry and personal enmity, and had not ruled out any motive.A social activist from Lyari, speaking to Dawn on condition of anonymity, claimed that Zubair had recently joined a political party and had put up its flags in the area a few months ago. The activist also said there were rumours in Lyari that several gangsters who had fled to Dubai and Iran during the Karachi operation had returned after the US-Iran war, fuelling fears among residents of a possible revival of the gang violence that once plagued the neighbourhood.Uzair Baloch, once considered one of Karachi's most influential gang leaders, remains in prison. In March this year, an anti-terrorism court rejected his bail applications in seven cases related to murder, an encounter with police and possession of explosives.He and several others had been accused of attacking law enforcement personnel with firearms and explosives in 2012 within the jurisdiction of Kalakot police station.In April 2020, a military court convicted Uzair Baloch of espionage and sentenced him to 12 years in prison.- EndsPublished By: Akash ChatterjeePublished On: Jul 31, 2026 14:32 IST