The tales of Lyari as penned by natives

Two recently-published books on Lyari have initiated a thought-provoking debate on the much-feared neighbourhood’s magnificent past, especially when one considers the fact that an area which emerged as a hub of nationalist and left politics gradually and sadly turned into a crime-infested underworld.

The two semi-autobiographies by Lyari natives – ‘Lyari Ki Unkahi Kahani’ (Untold story of Lyari) by Ramazan Baloch, a retired government officer, writer and activist, and ‘The Case for Lyari’ by Latif Baloch, a former journalist – published last week take the reader on a trip down memory lane in the streets of the city’s most poorest, oldest and until recently dangerous neighbourhood.

Lesser-known stories

Ramazan starts his book from the horrific March 12, 2014 shootout incident of Jhatpat Market, a favourite among Lyari residents especially women, who love visiting almost on a daily basis. Several people, most of them women and children were killed and injured on that fateful day when an armed clash broke out between the gangs of Uzair Baloch and Baba Laadla.

‘Although streets of Lyari had a history of violent fighting, in which innocent people were killed, the Jhatpat market incident, in which women and children were killed in a merciless way shook all of us. Residents of Lyari did not see this shameful and horrific face of terror before,” Ramazan writes.

Discussing the history of gangsters in Lyari, he states that in the 1960s, three brothers – Dad Muhammad alias Dadal, Sher Muhammad alias Sheroo and Taj Muhammad alias – residents of Rexer Lane and their neighbour Haji Nabi Baksh alias Kala Nagh were the only gangsters. Their area of influence was Lyari’s neighbouring commercial markets such as Sarafa Bazaar, Jodia Bazaar, Napier Road and Lea Market.

Astonishingly, Ramazan writes, these gangsters did not involve the youth in their criminal activities, in fact, they even tried to stop young people from getting into anti-social activities. However, he writes that in the 1970s, these gang characters vanished and up until the next two decades there were no sign of gangs in Lyari.

Mentioning a July 1992 quarrel between local Baloch residents of Hasan Lashkari village and some members of the Mohajir Tehreek, the author writes that young Abdul Rehman, who later became the notorious Rehman Dakait, was the first one from Lyari who helped the residents of the village and saved them from the armed rival group’s members. “This incident made Rehman popular across Lyari but the residents after several years realized that they were wrong,” he writes.

Ramazan’s book, based primarily on his memories and observation, also discusses the role of local organisations and educational institutions, popular figures, sportsmen and social activists in the development of Lyari. It also focuses on the 1962 Basic Democracy system and local elected representatives and the politics of the past.

The writer discusses the emergence of the National Awami Party and Pakistan Peoples Party, their conflict and collusion, and the eventual coming to power of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as well as the people involved in the students unions of the 1960s under the leadership of Mairaj Mohammad Khan, who headed the National Students Federation, a famous popular left-leaning group, which allied with Lyari Students Federation.

Ramazan also describes the first unkind encounter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was at the time a federal minister in Ayub Khan’s cabinet, with Lyari’s residents, who spoiled a government gathering held in Gabol Park in 1962.

‘The Case for Lyari’

Dedicating his book to innocent victims of the infamous ‘gang war’, Latif encapsulates the evolution of Lyari, its residents and politics, the Baloch nationalist movement and its impact on the neighbourhood, showing that Lyari residents were highly motivated in the movements for democracy during military regimes.

Latif, who worked as a journalist with the English daily Dawn, writes at length about Lyari’s great contribution to the country’s economy, politics, history, and sports. Writing about the political connections between Balochistan and Lyari, Latif notes that any political movements which started in the former had far-reaching impacts on the political conditions of the latter.

Discussing the political status of the Baloch community living in Karachi, Latif writes that following the 1932 act, Karachi’s Baloch people won the right to vote and elected Mehrab Khan Essa Khan as a first councillor of Karachi Municipality.

In 1930, the British Raj nominated Faqeer Muhammad Dura Khan and Ghulam Muhammad Nooruddin as councillors, acknowledging the community’s political clout. Lyari was also the centre of literary activities of Karachi, he writes.

Latif, who was a leader of the Baloch Students Organisation and imprisoned in 1976’s so-called ‘Hyderabad Conspiracy’ case, also sheds light on some aspects of the Lyari gang war. He discusses the proxy war of the PPP and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and says that in Lyari, which is the epicentre of politics of Balochistan, criminal elements under the patronage of the government had created a law and order problem.