LAHORE – Khawaja Tareef Gulshan aka Teefi Butt was feared, ruthless, and untouchable as name of Lahore’s underworld don could silence neighborhoods in provincial capital, espeically in Walled City region. From his base in Gawalmandi, Teefi ruled not just the city’s criminal underworld but also held a firm grip on land and property through decades of illegal seizures and violent feuds.
His recent misadventures rocked Pakistan’s criminal underworld, as Butt was the man behind high-profile murder of Ameer Balaj Tipu. On October 11, the chapter of Teefi Butt has been closed, but there are plethora of stories behind his rule of the dark world.
Punjab Crime Control Department (CCD) confirmed that Teefi Butt died in a gunfight after armed associates tried to rescue him during a high-security transfer from Karachi to Lahore. CCD reported that 7–8 heavily armed men in two vehicles opened fire, wounding a CCD officer and managing to free Teefi Butt from custody.
After Ameer Balaj’s murder, the deceased family named Teefi Butt and his cousin Gogi Butt, as the main suspects. Teefi Butt had been on the run since then.
Teefi Butt was arrested in Dubai with the help of Interpol. Legal procedures were initiated to bring him back to Pakistan. He was flown to Karachi on 10 October and handed over to the CCD at the airport.
When officers reached the vehicles, they found Teefi Butt severely wounded. He was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries. Another CCD officer was critically injured in the second exchange of fire.
Who Was Teefi Butt?
Teefi Butt, a notorious underworld don from Lahore, was infamous for his criminal empire and family rivalries. He and his cousin Gogi Butt had a decades-long feud with the influential Truckanwala family, dating back to mid 90s murder of Bala Truckanwala.
Teefi Butt had allegedly gave safe haven to killers responsible for that murder. Teefi Butt’s family wielded political influence and had deep roots in Lahore’s trade and underworld circles.
Despite being wanted in numerous criminal cases, including land grabs, extortion, and harboring criminals, Teefi Butt had largely avoided prison.
Teefi Butt’s family influence extended into trade associations and political circles. His brother, Khawaja Azhar Gulshan, held positions in trade organizations, while Teefi Butt himself was considered the most powerful figure in the family.
Even after Amir Balaj’s murder, the feud continued. Teefi Butt’s brother-in-law, Javed, was later killed in Lahore’s Gulberg area, showing deadly consequences of this long-running rivalry.
This is not the first time suspects in Punjab have died under suspicious circumstances during police encounters. Such incidents are also being presented as extrajudicial killings, as police narratives frequently claim the suspect was killed by his own accomplices during an attempted rescue.
Teefi Butt killed in accomplices’ firing near Sadiqabad: police
