Dhurandhar: Real-life Rehman Dakait’s story even darker, Pakistani crime lord stabs man at 13, kills mom 2 years later

As Dhurandhar continues to break records across theatres nationwide, one performance has particularly captured audience attention: Akshaye Khanna as Rehman Dakait, the film’s antagonist in Aditya Dhar’s first installment.

Spectators have erupted in whistles and cheers for Khanna’s portrayal—a remarkable response for a character based on a Pakistani gangster.

Interestingly, the real-life story of Rehman Dakait was arguably even more shocking than the cinematic depiction.

Born Abdul Rehman near Karachi in 1976, he grew up in Lyari, a cluster of impoverished settlements where gang rule and crime-police collusion were rampant.

According to a BBC report, his father, Dad Mohammad, and his brothers ran a local drug trade, clashing with rival factions led by Iqbal alias Baboo Dakait and Haji Lalu. Alongside narcotics, the gangs controlled extortion rackets.

Former Lyari SP Fayyaz Khan told BBC: “There were rivalries and territorial disputes among gangs. These often escalated into violent clashes. In one such clash, Rahman Baloch’s uncle Taj Mohammad was killed by Baboo Dakait’s gang.”

Early crimes and rapid rise

Rehman’s descent into crime was swift. At just 13, he stabbed a man who refused to let him burst firecrackers in Lyari. Two years later, he killed two rival drug dealers. In 1995, months after escaping police custody, he shot his mother Khadija at home—a murder reportedly linked either to her alleged cooperation with police or a perceived relationship with a rival gang member, as depicted in Dhurandhar.

Arrest, escape, and consolidation of power

Arrested in 1995 for weapons and drug charges, Rehman spent two and a half years in jail before escaping during transit to court. He fled to Balochistan, gradually establishing his dominance in Lyari. By 2006, he had amassed significant wealth, multiple properties—including some in Iran—and had married three times, fathering 13 children.

Rehman’s rule in Lyari was marked by extreme violence. Initially allied with Haji Lalu, the duo later clashed, sparking gang wars that left over 3,500 dead. The Express Tribune reported in 2021: “Rehman engaged in extortion, kidnapping, drug smuggling, and illegal arms sales. For nearly a decade, life in Lyari was paralysed by gang warfare.”

Political aspirations and police encounters

Rehman eventually sought political influence, forming the Peoples Aman Committee under the name Sardar Abdul Rahman Baloch. His ambition drew him into Lyari’s political scene, historically dominated by the MQM and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

In 2006, the Lyari Task Force, led by Chaudhry Aslam (portrayed by Sanjay Dutt in Dhurandhar), sought to curb gang violence. Rehman was arrested but reportedly spared after a call from PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari. He remained in secret custody for a time before escaping.

Death and legacy

In 2009, Rehman Dakait was finally detained again by the Lyari Task Force after being tracked via phone records. He and three associates were killed in a police encounter. Authorities stated he was wanted in over 80 cases, including murder and kidnapping. Critics, however, questioned the circumstances, citing autopsy reports and suggesting the encounter may have been staged.

Rehman’s death did not end his influence. His funeral was one of the largest Lyari had ever seen, and his widow approached the Sindh High Court, claiming the encounter was fake. Chaudhry Aslam, the officer responsible for the operation, was later killed in a Taliban suicide attack in 2014.

Dhurandhar 2, slated for release next March, will open with the aftermath of Rehman Dakait’s killing, continuing the saga of crime and power in Lyari.