Who Was Teefi Butt, Killed While Trying to Escape?
Punjab Crime Control Department claimed that Khawaja Tarif Gulshan, also known as Teefi Butt, was killed during an alleged police encounter on Saturday morning.
According to officials, Teefi Butt was the main suspect in the murder of Lahore businessman Ameer Balaj Tipu, who was killed in February last year.
Balaj Tipu was shot dead during a wedding ceremony at a private housing society in Lahore when a disguised photographer opened fire on him.
The case was registered by his brother Ameer Musab, who nominated Teefi Butt and Khawaja Aqeel, also known as Gogi Butt, as prime accused.
Authorities earlier confirmed that Teefi Butt was arrested in Dubai through Interpol assistance and was being extradited to Pakistan for trial purposes.
He was flown from Dubai to Karachi on Friday, where airport authorities handed him over to Punjab Crime Control Department for investigation.
The CCD claimed that while transporting the accused from Karachi to Lahore, a group of armed men ambushed the police convoy near Rahim Yar Khan.
The attackers reportedly opened heavy fire on the police vehicle, injuring one officer and successfully freeing Tyfi Butt from official police custody.
Later that night, CCD teams launched a search operation with local police to locate the armed suspects and the escaped detainee in the area.
Officials said that two suspicious vehicles were intercepted early Saturday morning, leading to a fierce exchange of gunfire lasting nearly twenty minutes.
When the firing ended, officers discovered a seriously wounded man inside one of the vehicles, who was later identified as Tyfi Butt.
He was shifted to a nearby hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead, while another CCD officer sustained injuries during the intense gun battle.
Rahim Yar Khan police confirmed that the deceased body was sent for postmortem examination at Sheikh Zayed Hospital following standard legal procedure.
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Senior officials stated that a separate case has been registered on the complaint of DSP Syed Hussain Haider regarding the armed attack.
Police encounters of such nature have faced growing public scrutiny in Punjab, where several high-profile suspects have died in similar situations.
Crime reporters from Lahore described Tyfi Butt as one of the citys most influential underworld figures with deep influence in business circles.
According to senior journalist Azam Chaudhry, Tyfi Butt and his cousin Gogi Butt were key figures in extortion and land disputes across Lahore.
Their prolonged rivalry with the Truckanwala family in Shah Alam area has resulted in several deadly clashes over the last three decades.
Police investigations linked both cousins to extortion, land grabbing, and offering shelter to proclaimed offenders operating across Lahore and nearby towns.
Crime analysts believe that Balaj Tipu murder became a turning point for the Butt family, attracting strict police focus on their activities.
Tyfi Butt was widely known for his political connections and local influence, often contesting business association elections in different parts of Lahore.
During General Musharraf era, his family actively participated in the Gawalmandi food street project and maintained relations with several political leaders.
Journalist Azam Chaudhry said that Tyfi Butt often claimed in private gatherings that no harm would ever reach his family or home.
Ironically, his death marks the violent end of a man once regarded as untouchable within Lahores criminal and political underworld circles.
The CCD declined to provide further information about the operation, stating that a formal internal inquiry into the incident is still ongoing.