Diabytes
Who Was Rehman Dakait And What Really Happened In Pakistan's Lyari Town? The Ruthless Don Who Inspired Akshaye Khanna’s Dhurandhar Role, Killed His Own Mother, And Played Football With Severed Heads
Akshaye Khanna has been widely praised for his portrayal of Rehman Dakait in Aditya Dhar's spy thriller Dhurandhar. The film draws on the real-life story of Rehman Dakait and the violent underworld of Karachi’s Lyari Town, which became notorious for gang wars and political clashes in the 2000s.
Dhurandhar
Dhurandhar features a star-studded cast, including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi, with Manav Gohil, Danish Pandor, Saumya Tandon, Gaurav Gera, and Naveen Kaushik in key supporting roles.
The film mixes reality with fiction, incorporating geopolitical tensions, covert R&AW operations, and the brutal criminal activities that plagued Lyari.
Akshaye Khanna's Role in Dhurandhar
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In the film, Akshaye Khanna portrays Rehman Dakait during the late 2000s. His character is a ruthless ganglord who exerts total control over Lyari alongside his cousin and lieutenant, Uzair Baloch (played by Danish Pandor).
Ranveer Singh plays Hamza, an undercover Indian agent who infiltrates Rehman’s gang to gather intelligence and ultimately dismantle his criminal network from within.
Who Was Rehman Dakait?
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Rehman Dakait, whose real name was Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch, was one of the most feared gangsters in Pakistan, controlling Lyari throughout the 2000s.
Early Crimes at Age 13
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Born in 1975, Rehman started his criminal career as a young drug dealer in Lyari. By the age of 13, he allegedly committed his first violent act by stabbing someone, marking the beginning of his notorious rise in the underworld.
Murdered His Own Mother
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Reports from The Express Tribune reveal that at 19, Rehman strangled his mother and staged the crime by hanging her from a ceiling fan. This horrifying act established him as one of Lyari’s most feared criminals.
Rise to Power
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In the late 1990s, Rehman joined Haji Laloo’s gang and assumed leadership after Laloo’s arrest in 2001. Over the next eight years, he transformed Lyari into his stronghold, with Uzair Baloch and Baba Ladla as his closest aides.
According to a Daily Guardian report, Rehman allegedly ordered his men to play football with severed heads of rivals as a display of power and intimidation.
Death and Aftermath
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Rehman Dakait was killed in a shootout with Karachi police in August 2009 during a major crackdown on gang activity in Lyari. He was 34 years old at the time.
Following his death, his cousin Uzair Baloch took over the gang, continuing its operations in the area.
Lyari Town Rise of Violence and Gang Wars
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Between 1999 and 2009, Lyari evolved from a struggling neighbourhood into a hotspot of gang-related violence and political turbulence. The area became notorious for turf wars, criminal networks, and constant clashes between rival factions.
Population Growth
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Lyari’s population density saw a sharp rise over the decades. In 1973, there were roughly 250 residents per hectare. By 2010, this number had surged to 1,180, and by 2023, it reached approximately 1,583 per hectare, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
Political Connections and Gang Influence
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During the 1980s and 1990s, Lyari’s gangs were closely tied to local politics. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is believed to have supported Rehman Dakait and Uzair Baloch’s faction as a counterbalance to the MQM-aligned gangster Arshad Pappu.
Despite widespread violence, Lyari maintained its position as a PPP stronghold. The influence of Rehman Dakait’s People’s Aman Committee further strengthened the party’s hold over the area, with gangs and political interests often overlapping.
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