In January 2003, Pappu stood accused of killing Baloch’s father Mama Faizu. Legend has it that Pappu never intended to kill Faizu, having only abducted him for ransom. After a brief altercation, however, Pappu shot him in the leg and left the injured on a road to bleed to death. Muhammad tried to reach an understanding with Baloch but the latter, determined to avenge his father’s death, had already sworn allegiance to Muhammad’s estranged protégé.
A turf war between Rehman Dakait and Pappu’s gang ensued, with Lyari’s delinquent morphing into groups of organised crime. In the early 2000s, Zikri was arrested for a petty crime he claimed he did not commit. He was soon let off, having witnessed the state of those swallowed by the system.
Zikri quickly joined Pappu’s gang after being released. During their first meeting, the latter presented Zikri with a task to test his mettle. “Pappu realised I had spark that very moment,” Zikri would reminisce later.
