Rehman Dakait
Born
Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch[1]

1980
Lyari, Karachi, Pakistan
Died 9 August 2009(2009-08-09) (aged 28–29)
Steel Town, Karachi, Pakistan
Cause of death Police encounter
Other names Sher e-Baloch
Khan Bhai
Khan Saheb
King of Lyari
Organization Peoples' Aman Committee
Known for
  • Involvement in Lyari Gang War
  • Founding Peoples' Aman Committee
Successor Uzair Baloch
Political party Pakistan Peoples Party
Opponent(s) SP Chaudhary Aslam, Arshad Pappu
Relatives Uzair Baloch (cousin)
Reward amount
PKR 5 million

Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch (Urdu: سردار عبدالرحمن بلوچ; Balochi: سردار عبدالرحمن بلوچ; 1980 – 9 August 2009), known by the alias Rehman Dakait (Urdu: رحمان ڈکیت; Balochi: رحمان دکیت ) was a Pakistani Balochi gangster and politician based in Karachi's Lyari neighbourhood who formed the Peoples' Aman Committee which was affiliated with the Pakistan People's Party.[1] The Government of Sindh had set a reward of Rs. 5 million on his head. Rehman was accused of being involved in more than one hundred crimes. He was wanted for several serious crimes including dacoity, murder and attempted murder, drug trafficking, kidnapping for ransom, and illegal arms trafficking.[2][3]

Early life and background

Rehman was born in 1980 in Lyari, Karachi in the Pakistani province of Sindh to Haji Abu Da'ad Muhammad a.k.a. Dadal (an Iranian Baloch) and his third wife Khadija Bibi.[2] Iqbal "Babu" Dakait later claimed to be Rehman's biological father.[4]

Lyari is one of the most populous, oldest and least developed localities of Karachi with the majority of the population being of Baloch origin (others include Kutchi Gujaratis, Sindhis, and Urdu-speaking Muhajirs). Lyari became home to crime shortly after Pakistan's independence in 1947.[4]

Dadal and his brother, Sher Muhammad a.k.a. Sheru, were petty criminals involved in drug smuggling since 1964.[1] They came up against Kala Nag who dominated the Lyari drug trade and underworld.[4] Kala Nag was killed in the 1970s during a police chase (he jumped from a building while running from the police). Dadal and Sheru now resumed their drug peddling without major competition and eventually died natural deaths.[5][6][4]

Criminal activities

Gang wars

Haji Lal Mohammad a.k.a. Haji Laloo and Iqbal "Babu" Dakait eventually came to control the Lyari underworld in different areas of the locality (often threatening local residents for loyalty). Allah Baksh a.k.a. Kala Nag II, the son of Kala Nag, joined the Babu Dakait Gang and the two worked together against Laloo. Kala Nag II was arrested in 1991 and remains imprisoned.[4]

Illegal arms entered Lyari and Karachi amid the Afghan jihad in the 1980s and petty drug peddlers now armed, started extortion as another means of income with the gangwars heating up.[4] Rehman joined the Laloo Gang during this time. He had started peddling drugs from a young age and is said to have had a man stabbed when he was just 13.[1]

Haji Laloo and Babu Dakait started making hits on each other. While Babu Dakait hired Hanif Bajola, a contract killer to kill Laloo, the latter trained Rehman to kill Babu.[4]

According to the Sindh Police, Rehman killed his mother on 18 September 1995 with local news reporting that this was his first murder. Rumours say that he murdered his mother in a fit of rage; when he went to make a hit on Babu Dakait, the latter told Rehman that he had an affair with his mother and was his real father.[4][7]

Babu Dakait eventually lost four of his sons in the ensuing gangwar. In 1996, he suffered a paralytic stroke and was arrested. In the same year, Rehman Dakait and Yasser Arafat (Haji Laloo's son) were also arrested. Arshad Pappu, another son of Laloo, was also a member of the Laloo Gang but kept a low profile.[4]

Drug trade and other crimes

In 1997, Rehman escaped police custody while being taken to a court hearing. After the escape, the Laloo Gang expanded its criminal activities from drugs to extortion, contract killing and kidnapping. The Laloo Gang splintered when members started double-crossing each other in illegal deals. Haji Laloo cut Rehman out from the kidnapping ransom of Saleem Memon from Kharadar. In another instance, Faiz Mohammad a.k.a. Faizoo, a transporter and friend of Rehman, was killed by Laloo's son Arshad Pappu after he refused to pay him extortion money.[8]

After Haji Laloo's arrest in 2001, the Laloo Gang splintered into the Rehman Dakait (Lyari Gang) and Arshad Pappu gangs.[1][9]

After the split, Rehman rapidly expanded his influence outside Lyari towards Malir and Korangi and he was competing with other underworld gangs in the city (including those associated with the MQM).[2]

Politics

Around 2008, Rehman started introducing himself as Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch and became a political figure in Lyari. He established and was the supervisor of the Peoples Aman Committee of Lyari, ostensibly to control the decades-old gangwar and to ensure "peacekeeping." Though it was also involved in criminal activities including securing territorial control for Rehman's gang, extortion etc.[2]

He associated himself with the then ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP).[2] His growing power in Lyari made him influential in local Karachi politics, business circles and the PPP political structure in Karachi. The Aman Committee enjoyed political patronage of the PPP, although the party's leadership officially denied any connection.[2]

After his death, the Aman Committee was led by his relative Uzair Baloch, who further strengthened the organization in both political and criminal spheres.[2]

Arrest and death

See also: Operation Lyari

With the Sindh Police unable to end the gangwars and crime in Lyari, a designated "Industrial Crime Unit" was established in 2004 but failed to achieve its objectives and was disbanded in November 2005. It was replaced by the "Lyari Task Force".[4]

Rehman was arrested in November, 2008 in Jinnah Town, Quetta and his arrest was followed by protests outside the Karachi Press Club.[4] He later escaped from police custody.[10]

On 9 August 2009, Rehman and his companions Aqeel Baloch, Aurangzaib Baba and Nazir Bala were again intercepted by SP Chaudhry Aslam Khan and his police party. A shootout ensued late in the night in which Rehman and his accomplices were grievously injured. They died en route to the hospital.[10][11][12][13] His death was alleged to be a fake police encounter (extrajudicial killing).[10][2] Aslam was known for being the only surviving police officer from the anti-crime "Operation Cleanup" of the 1990s, against the Muhajir Qaumi Movement, with other police officers who had participated in this operation being killed in subsequent target killings by MQM-affiliated militants.[2][14]

After Rehman's death, the situation in Lyari became tense. Thousands of people attended his funeral in Lyari, where he is viewed as a Robin Hood-like figure rather than as a criminal (known for distributing the wealth earned from his criminal activities among the poor of Lyari).[10] Pakistani politician Zulfiqar Mirza has said that he was responsible for getting Rehman killed and regretted his action.[15]

Rehman was reportedly involved in over 80 criminal cases, many of which he had been bailed out of by his mentor Haji Laloo.[4]

Personal life

Like his father Dadal, Rehman also married three times. The number of Rehman's children is said to be around seventeen.[2]

Rehman is a central character in the 2025 Bollywood film Dhurandhar. His character was portrayed by Akshaye Khanna.[16][7][17]

See also

  • Umar Farooq Zahoor

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Kingdom of fear". The Express Tribune. 18 July 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "سردار، ڈکیت یا سیاستدان" [Chieftain, dacoit or politician]. BBC Urdu (in Urdu). 10 August 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  3. ^ "Dhurandhar: Real-life Uzair Baloch inherited Rehman Dakait's gang after his encounter; played football with gangster Arshad Pappu's severed head". The Indian Express. 19 December 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "The Legend of Rahman Dakait & Lyari Gang War". Sindh Times. 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 25 March 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  5. ^ "Life comes full circle for Lyari's mafiosi". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Daily News". The News International.
  7. ^ a b "Dhurandhar: Real-life Rehman Dakait killed mother at 15, was Lyari's 'king' at 21, this is what happened after his encounter". The Indian Express. 16 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  8. ^ "Story". Daily Pakistan. 20 December 2006.
  9. ^ "Rehman Dakait and Arshad Pappu : Lyari Gang War". The Pakistani Spectator. Archived from the original on 6 May 2010. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d "Question mark over killing of Lyari 'gangster'". Dawn. 11 August 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  11. ^ "Rehman Dakait, three others killed in Karachi: police". Dawn. 10 August 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  12. ^ Sharma, Radhika (16 December 2025). "Dhurandhar: How Rehman Dakait Was Killed By Chaudhry Aslam After A Years-Long Chase Through Lyari". NDTV.
  13. ^ "Rehman Dakait, three others killed in Karachi: police". Dawn. Archived from the original on 17 September 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  14. ^ "Profile: Chaudhry Aslam". Dawn. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  15. ^ "Mirza interview: The hits just keep on coming". The Express Tribune. 4 September 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  16. ^ "Ranveer Singh shares Akshaye Khanna's viral entry song from Dhurandhar, fans call it a 'banger'". Hindustan Times. 7 December 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  17. ^ Sonika Nitin Nimje. "How Akshaye Khanna's Rehman Dakait emerged as Dhurandhar's surprise hero". Business standard. Retrieved 17 December 2025.