Lyari’s contribution to city, country recalled

‘Lyari Ka Muqqadama’, authored by Latif Baloch, launched

Speakers at the launch of the book, Lyari Ka Muqqadama, by Latif Baloch, most fondly spoke of the Lyari of yore and lamented how it had come to be held synonymous with crime and anti-state activity. 

They were all of the view that successive governments had deliberately manoeuvred to vitiate the atmosphere of the place to serve their interests of intrigue.

The book launch was held at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday afternoon. Dr Abdul Malik, former chief minister of Balochistan, said that it was an auspicious day for him in that he was speaking about Latif Baloch’s book.

“People like Latif Baloch are our identity,” he said. “We have a joint struggle. Our aim is to serve the people of Lyari and the country. We have to work for press freedom, safety of person, and, most of all, education.” 

He blamed the establishment for having deliberately distorted the complexion of the place and changed it from one of peace and tranquility to one of constant friction.

“The atrocities in Lyari have been no less than those in Balochistan,” said Abid Baloch.

“Lyari has been a haven of politics and even fully participated in the first war of independence in 1857.”  He mentioned Qadir Bakhsh Mehrani, who, he said, was known as the Robinhood of Lyari, as he robbed the British rulers and gave it all to the dispossessed.

Another notable Lyari product, he said, was Sir Abdullah Haroon, and in this connection also cited another revolutionary, Lall Bakhsh Rind. Others he mentioned in connection with Lyari were philanthropist Ismail Durrani, who had made tremendous contribution in the field of education in the locality. He said that goons were commissioned to wreck the peace of Lyari and pollute its politics. “Lyari has lost its direction,” he said.

Dr Tauseef, formerly of the Federal Urdu University and currently of the Karachi University, said that the Lyari gang war was an attempt by the rulers to spoil the conditions in Balochistan.

He said Lyari was the birthplace of enlightened students’ movements like the NSF. He said that for some reason, Lyari just veered from the NAP to the PPP. “The people of Lyari are thinkers,” he said.

He said the book had historical importance as it outlined the progressive stance and social contributions of the people. “It is the book that lives on,” he said. 

He mentioned the names of Siddiq Baloch and Nadir Shah Adil, both journalists, who made a great contribution in the field of intellect, both of whom were from Lyari.

Dr Akhtar Baloch, vice-chancellor of the Lyari University, said that the people of Lyari were made to fight each other to serve the vested interests of the powers that be. Betel leaf-chewing young boys were induced to fire Kalashnikovs, he said and regretted that there was no book on Lal Bakhsh Rind who had mad historic contributions to the cause of Lyari.

Ahmed Iqbal said that the atmosphere of Lyari had been deliberately spoilt o serve the purpose of the establishment. As a result, he said, psychological disorders had become the order of the day, all because of the gang wars which had become a notable feature of the place. 

He queried as to why the law-enforcing agencies did not take action earlier as that could had prevented bloodshed. “Lyari will continue to writhe in problems because it has no backing from important figures.”

The author, Latif Baloch, said that the he had been contemplating the book project over the last three or four years, after his retirement from Dawn.

Political problems, he said, warranted a political solution and not the strong- arm tactics that the establishment was resorting to. “After all, we the Baloch, are a highly peaceful lot.” 

He said that today Lyari was not the Lyari of Ghous Bakhsh Bizenjo or ZA Bhutto. “We want a forum where problems would be solved through accommodation and harmony,” he said.  The function was compered by Akhtar Baloch.