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                        <title>The Express Tribune</title>
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                        <description>The Express Tribune keeps you up to date with all the latest happenings from Pakistan and across the world!</description>
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			<title>Lyari residents protest prolonged, unannounced power outages</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2475417/lyari-residents-protest-prolonged-power-outages-demand-government-action</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2475417/lyari-residents-protest-prolonged-power-outages-demand-government-action#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 30 Jun 24 17:02:57 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[news.desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2475417</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Protesters demand up to 300 units of electricity free of charge, immediate end to overbilling practices]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Residents of Lyari took to the streets on Sunday in protest against prolonged and unannounced power outages. The protest rally, organised at the call of the Lyari Bachao Tehreek (Save Lyari Movement), marched from Lyari to the Karachi Press Club.

It included a diverse group of residents, including women, children, youth, representatives of political and social organisations, and traders.

Among their demands, the protesters called for providing up to 300 units of electricity free of charge to consumers in Lyari and the immediate end to overbilling practices that have affected Lyari&#39;s populace over the past 15 years.

Faisal Edhi, head of the Edhi Foundation, also participated in the rally and spoke to the media, highlighting the severe hardships faced by Lyari residents due to extended power outages. He demanded that the government take immediate notice of the prolonged load shedding in Lyari.

According to the residents, various areas are experiencing power cuts lasting from 16 to 18 hours, leading to significant mental and physical distress among the community members.

They reported that elderly and sick individuals at homes are particularly suffering, and the nightly power outages have severely impacted the psychological well-being of the residents.

The residents condemned what they termed as the inhumane behavior of the electricity company, stating that such actions violate basic human rights.

Addressing the gathering outside the Karachi Press Club, social leaders of Lyari urged authorities to register FIRs against the chief executive officer (CEO) of K-Electric for the deaths during the recent heatwave caused by load shedding and to compensate the families of the victims.

Leaders of the Lyari Bachao Tehreek warned that if their demands were not met and there was no improvement in the power supply situation, they would halt bill payments and set electricity meters on fire.]]>
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			<title>‘Previous rulers have given Lyari nothing except hollow promises’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2454019/previous-rulers-have-given-lyari-nothing-except-hollow-promises</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2454019/previous-rulers-have-given-lyari-nothing-except-hollow-promises#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jan 24 05:44:05 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2454019</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Local dignitaries met the candidates for National and Provincial Assembly at the election office]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The splendor of Lyari has been restored once again with the opening of the election office of Lyari Alliance at PS-107 Cheel Chowk. Lyari once again echoed with the slogans of Lyari Alliance. People of Lyari assured the Lyari Alliance to support it&#39;s candidates in the upcoming elections.

Local dignitaries met the candidates for National and Provincial Assembly at the election office of Lyari Alliance and made commit- ment to work together with Lyari Alliance to address the&nbsp;issues of Lyari and develop- ment of Lyari.

Read:&nbsp;Protests for basic utilities continue in Lyari

Talking to local dignitar- ies and residents, Ahmad Bilal Saleem Qadri said that the long-standing problems of Lyari could be solved only by those who care for Lyari. Candidates of Lyari Alliance will go to the assemblies after winning the election and ad- dress the issues.

The previous political party gave nothing but lollipops to the people of Lyari. The educated and knowledge- able people of Lyari will not be fooled anymore. When these people want to get something from Lyari, they come here to make false promises.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Extortion case registered against Lyari gangsters</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2452551/extortion-case-registered-against-lyari-gangsters</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2452551/extortion-case-registered-against-lyari-gangsters#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jan 24 07:55:49 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2452551</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[No casualties in incident]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[A case has been registered against the alleged gang war linchpin, Rusi Lakho, and two unidentified armed men in connection with the attempted extortion by firing at a mart in Musa Lane, Liyari.

The incident was caught on CCTV cameras and the footage went viral on social media. On Saturday night, unidentified suspects on a motorbike fired shots while making their escape from Musa Lane in the Baghdadi police station area.

There were no casualties in the incident.&nbsp;

Read&nbsp;21 women pugilists shine at Lyari arena

Initial investigations&nbsp;classify the shooting as an extortion attempt. Late into the night, Baghdadi police registered the case under Sections 324, 385, 387, 34/109, and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act against the mart owner, Abdul Rahim Khan.

Abdul Rahim Khan recounted that at around 7:10 pm on Saturday, he was running a generator due to a power outage when the firing occurred. Bullets hit the mart&#39;s freezer, but the security guard confirmed no injuries.

The armed suspects, riding a motorcycle, fired with apparent intent to kill before fleeing towards the road.

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Teen injured in cops-robbers crossfire dies in hospital</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2441904/teen-injured-in-cops-robbers-crossfire-dies-in-hospital</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2441904/teen-injured-in-cops-robbers-crossfire-dies-in-hospital#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 19 Oct 23 12:18:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2441904</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Sixteen-year-old Mohammad Umair had gone to fetch milk when he got caught in the middle of a shootout]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A 10th grade student, who was injured in crossfire between police and robbers in Lyari, succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.

Sixteen-year-old Mohammad Umair had gone to fetch milk when he got caught in the middle of a shootout and got hit by a bullet to the head.

The Eid Gah police had killed three suspects in an encounter in the Ghas Mandi area on Tuesday night, however, two bystanders were also injured. One of the bystander victims was Umair, son of Mohammad Afzal, who died during treatment on Wednesday morning.

The deceased was a resident of the second floor of Dubai Building within the limits of the Kalakot police station and was a student of grade 10.

He was the youngest of two brothers and four sisters. Local residents said that the deceased and his elder brother never used to hangout in the hood. They would go out for studies, prayers at the mosque or groceries for the home.

At the time of the incident, the deceased had gone to buy milk and breakfast in Jinnahabad near his house when Eid Gah police reached there chasing the three robbers.

The accused stopped and opened fire at the police. The police returned the fire. In this crossfire two passers-by Umair and Murtaza sustained bullet injuries. The police killed all the three robbers.

The bodies of the robbers and the injured citizens were shifted to the Civil Hospital.

Umair was shot in the head, while Murtaza was shot in the left leg. Umair died during the treatment. The police handed over the body to the heirs after legal process.]]>
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			<title>Messi World Cup magic: Lyari goes mad for Argentina</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2391111/messi-world-cup-magic-lyari-goes-mad-for-argentina</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2391111/messi-world-cup-magic-lyari-goes-mad-for-argentina#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 15 Dec 22 04:28:18 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2391111</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Messi is inevitably the favourite -- but they also like his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Neymar of Brazil]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Thousands of people in Lyari will mass together to roar on Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday.

People poured through the labyrinth streets of Lyari in the early hours of Wednesday to watch Lionel Messi and his Argentina side on a giant screen beat Croatia 3-0 in the semi-final.

Wearing Argentina shirts, some broke into song and dance after the South Americans sealed their spot in the decider in Qatar against France or Morocco. Fireworks lit up the night sky.

&quot;Most of the youth are inspired by them,&quot; Tahir Khan, a 40-year-old football coach, told AFP of Argentina&#39;s World Cup stars.

Messi is inevitably the favourite -- but they also like his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Neymar of Brazil.

&quot;I see most of the youth wearing Messi or Neymar jerseys. Even at Eid they wear their jerseys... instead of traditional dress,&quot; said Khan.

Residents have brought the World Cup to Lyari, painting life-size murals of their favourite players, hanging flags and bunting, and keeping track of progress on bracket boards marked on walls.

The appreciation of Argentina -- but also of fierce rivals Brazil -- is not purely about their football skills.

&quot;The Latin American countries are not as (developed) as the European countries but their players are acknowledged all over the world,&quot; Khan said.

There is good-natured banter between adopted Argentina and Brazil fans.
&quot;We relate to the Brazilians&#39; (skin) colour and style, that is why we like Brazil the most,&quot; said 45-year-old Shahid Saleem.

&quot;My own favourite team is Argentina but my two sons are staunch supporters of Brazil. Quarrels between father and sons is a daily routine.&quot;

Now a fresh argument looms over Lyari: whether to back Argentina or Morocco if the underdogs stun holders France to reach Sunday&#39;s final.

Morocco would be the first Muslim nation to make it to a World Cup final -- a source of great pride for Pakistani football fans.

&quot;Earlier we supported Brazil but they were knocked out of the tournament so now we are supporting Marrakesh (Morocco) as it is a Muslim country,&quot; said Abdul Ghafoor, 20-year-old labourer and football fan.

Saleem summed up the dilemma for many.

&quot;The prayers of all of Lyari are with Morocco and hopefully they will would make it to the final,&quot; he said.

&quot;(But) I am an Argentina fan, so from this side I will pray for Argentina.&quot;]]>
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			<title>Pakistani neighbourhood goes mad for Argentina</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2391064/pakistani-neighbourhood-goes-mad-for-argentina</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2391064/pakistani-neighbourhood-goes-mad-for-argentina#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 14 Dec 22 11:13:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2391064</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Thousands of fans in Lyari break into song and dance to celebrate Messi and co’s progress to final]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Thousands of Pakistanis in a Karachi neighbourhood once synonymous with gang violence and poverty will mass together to roar on Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2022 final on Sunday.

People poured through the labyrinth streets of Lyari in the early hours of Wednesday to watch Lionel Messi and his Argentina side on a giant screen beat Croatia 3-0 in the semi-final.

Wearing Argentina shirts, some broke into song and dance after the South Americans sealed their spot in the decider in Qatar against France or Morocco. Fireworks lit up the night sky.

&quot;Most of the youth are inspired by them,&quot; Tahir Khan, a 40-year-old football coach, told AFP of Argentina&#39;s World Cup stars.

Messi is inevitably the favourite &ndash; but they also like his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Neymar of Brazil.

&quot;I see most of the youth wearing Messi or Neymar jerseys. Even at Eid they wear their jerseys... instead of traditional dress,&quot; said Khan.

Residents have brought the World Cup to Lyari, painting life-size murals of their favourite players, hanging flags and bunting, and keeping track of progress on bracket boards marked on walls.

The appreciation of Argentina &ndash; but also of fierce rivals Brazil &ndash; is not purely about their football skills.

&quot;The Latin American countries are not as (developed) as the European countries but their players are acknowledged all over the world,&quot; Khan said.

In one battle for Lyari years ago, gangs infamously used rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles to fight security forces, with the crossfire shutting schools and businesses.

But the worst of the violence has abated and an increase in security has led to flowering creativity.

The neighbourhood now clings fiercely to its reputation for producing footballers, iron-chinned boxers, and, most recently, socially conscious rappers.

There is good-natured banter between adopted Argentina and Brazil fans.

&quot;We relate to the Brazilians&#39; (skin) colour and style, that is why we like Brazil the most,&quot; said 45-year-old Shahid Saleem.

&quot;My own favourite team is Argentina but my two sons are staunch supporters of Brazil. Quarrels between father and sons is a daily routine.&quot;

Now a fresh argument looms over Lyari: whether to back Argentina or Morocco if the underdogs stun holders France to reach Sunday&#39;s final.

Morocco would be the first Muslim nation to make it to a World Cup final &ndash; a source of great pride for Pakistani football fans.

&quot;Earlier we supported Brazil but they were knocked out of the tournament so now we are supporting Marrakesh (Morocco) as it is a Muslim country,&quot; said Abdul Ghafoor, 20-year-old labourer and football fan.

Saleem summed up the dilemma for many.

&quot;The prayers of all of Lyari are with Morocco and hopefully they will make it to the final,&quot; he said.

&quot;(But) I am an Argentina fan, so from this side I will pray for Argentina.&quot;]]>
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			<title>World Cup delirium ignites alleys of Pakistan's 'mini Brazil'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2389137/world-cup-delirium-ignites-alleys-of-pakistans-mini-brazil</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2389137/world-cup-delirium-ignites-alleys-of-pakistans-mini-brazil#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 Dec 22 13:14:40 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2389137</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[It feels like the World Cup is being played not in Qatar, but in Lyari, a member of a local football academy says]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Flags of some nations competing in football&#39;s World Cup fluttered overhead as boys in a dusty alley in Karachi&#39;s Lyari kicked a ball around in a fever of excitement.

The football-crazed neighbourhood of Lyari is also known as &quot;Mini Brazil&quot;, and this year a mural featuring the game&#39;s stars, from Argentina&#39;s Lionel Messi to Brazil&rsquo;s Neymar Da Silva Santos J&uacute;nior and Portugal&#39;s Cristiano Ronaldo, is taking centrestage.

&quot;The football frenzy here is so great that it feels like the World Cup is being played not in Qatar, but in Lyari,&quot; Waseem Sarbazi, a member of a nearby football coaching academy, said.

Pakistan has never qualified for a World Cup tournament, but many young people still enrol in football academies to train for hours each day in Lyari, one of the port city&#39;s poorest areas, hoping to take to an international pitch one day.

&quot;We want FIFA to get involved in football activities in Lyari,&quot; Sarbazi added. &quot;They should have an event here because there is a uncountable number of players and spectators here.&quot;

Also read: Van Gaal eyes emotional World Cup run

Thousands turned out in &quot;Mini Brazil&quot; last Monday when Brazil played Switzerland, sporting the classic yellow and green colours of their favourite team as they gathered in front of large television screens to the sound of raucous music.

&quot;Very powerful matches and the Brazil match,&quot; said Ashiq Hussain, one of the young players from the academy, adding that he found the matches inspiring.

&quot;I think my favourite team is Brazil. I like the goalkeeper Ederson (Santana de Moraes).&quot;

The fans erupted into wild cheers and danced when Brazil sealed their entry into the knockout stages with a 1-0 win over Switzerland.

&quot;I went for my job wearing the Brazil shirt, and now at night, I am still wearing the shirt during the match,&quot; said another fan, Mohammad Yasin.

Also read: Juventus face new UEFA probe

&quot;I am going to keep wearing this shirt, whether they lose the match or win. I am not taking off this shirt at all.&quot;

Brazil&#39;s success in that match will draw out thousands more in &quot;Mini Brazil&quot; on Friday, when the team face off against Cameroon. If they draw or win, Brazil will top their Group G.

If they lose and Switzerland win against Serbia, the goal difference will decide the top spot.

&quot;The people here love football,&quot; said Lyari resident Tahir Khan. &quot;Every four years, this excitement flares.&quot;]]>
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			<title>Woman dies in Karachi power protests</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2363715/woman-dies-in-karachi-power-protests</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2363715/woman-dies-in-karachi-power-protests#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 28 Jun 22 09:59:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondents]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Karachi]]></category><category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2363715</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[16 hours load-shedding observed in country]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The exasperated people of Karachi on Tuesday took to the streets in protest against prolonged power outages in stiffening hot and humid weather

Protesters in various areas of the country&rsquo;s commercial hub hurled rocks at the police and the cops retaliated with tear gas and baton charge. They also arrested several protesters after talks between the two sides failed.

A 60-year-old woman reportedly died in Karachi&rsquo;s Mauripur area on Tuesday following police action at a protest against hours-long load-shedding in the city.

The woman was identified as Meeran Bibi, wife of Abdul Karim. She was a resident of Hingorabad.

However, police denied that the woman died as a result of police brutality against the protesters. SSP City said the deceased was aged 70 and died a natural death. &ldquo;Negotiations are underway for the autopsy of the deceased,&rdquo; they added.



As power outages increase to a draining 12-hour a day, frustrated citizens took to the streets of Karachi&#39;s Mauripur area to protest. In a bid to curtail the protest, police started shelling the protesters.#etribune #news #Karachi #loadshedding pic.twitter.com/BfYOyohBcV
&mdash; The Express Tribune (@etribune) June 28, 2022


The officer said K-Electric should be booked for the death of the elderly woman and added that the protesters were out on the roads as they did not have power for the last 12 hours. &ldquo;Police have footage of the incident,&rdquo; he said, adding that people should not pay heed to &ldquo;baseless rumours&rdquo;.

The residents of the city&rsquo;s densely-populated FC Area also came out on the streets to protest.

They protested outside KE&rsquo;s office against the prolonged and unannounced power outages. Though the office was closed and the staff was absent, protesters vented their anger by hurling stones and chanting slogans.

Law enforcement agencies rushed to the spot and dispersed the protesters using baton charge.

Read Load-shedding makes lives of people a living hell

Residents also took to the streets and blocked roads in Liaquatabad, Jahangirabad, Nazimabad, PIB Colony, Korangi Town, Ilyas Goth, Future Morr Landhi, and Allahwala Town Korangi localities resulting in massive gridlocks across the city.

Similarly, people are stuck in traffic jams on Mauripur Road, Hub River Road, RCD Highway, Mai Kolachi Road and Boat Basin.



Gridlock at Gizri due to protest at Maripur road against electricity failure. Massive traffic jam on Mai Kolachi &amp; surrounding roads.

Protest is continue since last night. Avoid these routes. pic.twitter.com/oWnSRAzkFx
&mdash; Halaat Updates (@halaatupdate) June 28, 2022


A spokesperson for the traffic police said that unless an official of KE talked to the protesters and the utility restored their power supply, it would be difficult to disperse them. People were also facing water shortages because of the excessive outages.

Residents said they were given power for an hour after facing two-hour of outages. In several areas, there was no electricity for up to six hours.

In Baldia Ittehad Town, Qaimkhani Colony, Gulshan Ghazi, Gulshan-e-Areesha, Scheme 33 Garden, Malir, Rizwan Society, Ilyas Goth Korangi, Burns Road, City Railways Colony, and Nusrat Bhutto Colony, people were facing power outages from 11pm to 1am and 4am to 7am. They said that there was no prior announcement for the outages.

A KE spokesperson stated that power outages were being conducted in high-pilferage areas.

As per the KE&rsquo;s spokesperson, &ldquo;During last 24 hours, the average power supply to Karachi has been 2,700 megawatts, including an average of 1,000MW received from the national grid.&rdquo;

The spokesperson said, &ldquo;Due to the rise in temperature, the power demand has also surged because of which the power shortfall, which used to be 250 to 300MW on average, has risen to an average of 400 to 500MW.&rdquo;

He added that the shortfall persisted round the clock, and the utility was compelled to conduct load-shedding even during the night hours for which &ldquo;we deeply regret the inconvenience caused to our consumers&rdquo;.

The spokesperson further added, &ldquo;Power production is also adversely affected because of fuel shortage for power generation and the steep rise in its prices on a global scale.

&ldquo;Due to the non-supply of indigenous gas, KE&rsquo;s power plants having the capacity to produce 200MW, are also non-operational. At the same time, because of the delay in the payment of Tariff Differential Subsidies (TDS) claims by the government of Pakistan, the utility is also facing challenges in the procurement of fuel.&rdquo;

In this regard, he said, the KE had requested the federal government to release at least Rs25 billion on account of TDS.

Currently, the KE was utilising all available resources for power generation and was constantly in touch with the relevant organisations for the availability of fuel in the required quantity.

PTI Central Secretary General Asad Umar condemned the PPP government&rsquo;s &ldquo;fascism&rdquo; in Sindh.

&ldquo;In a democratic society, the people have no choice but to express their plight through peaceful protests,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;Genuinely, democratic governments try to solve the problems of peaceful protesters instead of using force.&rdquo;

Separately, the power shortfall in the country reached 7,500MW as the electricity generation was 21,700MW against the 29,200MW demand, sources in the Power Division said.

The duration of power outages in several parts of the country hit 16 hours per day, they added.

The current demand for power in the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) region was 2,545MW, its spokesperson said.

He added that the load management duration across the region had been increased because of the 500MW shortfall and system overload.

He said power supply from various power grid stations in the region had been completely suspended.

The spokesperson said the operations staffs were present in the field to address individual grievances and appealed to the consumers to cooperate with the IESCO in this difficult situation.]]>
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			<title>VCs of two Sindh varsities sent on forced leave over harassment incidents</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2343343/vcs-of-two-sindh-varsities-sent-on-forced-leave-over-harassment-incidents</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2343343/vcs-of-two-sindh-varsities-sent-on-forced-leave-over-harassment-incidents#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 13 Feb 22 19:47:19 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Safdar Rizvi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2343343</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Sindh govt forms committee to probe serious allegations against Prof Akhtar Baloch and Dr Anila Ataur Rehman]]>
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				<![CDATA[The controlling authority of government universities in Sindh, in light of orders from Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, has sent vice-chancellor of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University Lyari (BBSUL) Prof Akhtar Baloch and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBU) Larkana VC Dr Anila Ataur Rehman on a 45-day forced leave.

Secretary Universities and Boards Mureed Rahimo on Sunday issued notifications regarding the forced leave of both vice-chancellors. A committee has also been formed which would initiate an inquiry against the two.

The development comes after two shocking incidents had sent shockwaves in the education sector of the province.

Read more: Larkana medical student subjected to rape, confirms forensic report

In November last year, Nosheen Kazmi, a fourth-year medical student of SMBBU, was found hanging from the ceiling fan of her hostel room with her feet almost touching a table. Another student Nimarta Chandani was found dead under similar circumstances.

The forensic report of Kazmi confirmed that the victim were subjected to rape.

Also read: PPP MPA accuses varsity VC of sending &#39;vulgar, sexual&#39; stickers

The notification issued today said that the alleged suicide of two students has raised questions about the way affairs of the university were being managed under Prof Dr Anila Attaur Rehman.

It pointed out &quot;the apparent negligence, mismanagement and maladministration at SMBBU during the period of the VC&rdquo;. According to the notification, the charge of acting vice-chancellor has been given to Prof Hakim Ali Abro from the same university.Meanwhile, another notification stated that BBSUL VC Dr Akhtar Baloch was sent on a 45-day leave after allegations of sexual harassment against him.

In January, a sitting member of the Sindh Assembly had lodged a written complaint of harassment against Prof Akhtar Baloch in Karachi.

A committee has also been formed to investigate the matter.

Prof Dr Amjad Siraj Memon has been given additional charge of BBSUL to run the affairs of the university.

Both committees will present their findings to the Sindh chief minister within 45 days.]]>
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			<title>Owen gets warm welcome in Lyari</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2340804/owen-gets-warm-welcome-in-lyari</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2340804/owen-gets-warm-welcome-in-lyari#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 27 Jan 22 20:37:09 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2340804</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The former international footballer was warmly welcomed at Mini Football Stadium.]]>
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				<![CDATA[British footballer Michael James Owen visited Lyari area known as the city&#39;s hub for football and boxing. The former international footballer was warmly welcomed at Mini Football Stadium.

Owen, who represents leading teams such as Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid, was given a traditional welcome. Nasir&nbsp; Baloch welcomed the guests.

Speaking on occasion, Michael Owen said that he was very interested to see Lyari. &quot;Today, my great wish has come true. I heard that Lyari people play football in Brazilian style,&quot; he said.

Michael Owen said that he hoped the youth of Lyari would benefit from the Talent Hunt Scheme. The first soccer city in the history of Pakistan will play an essential role in the promotion of football in the country, he added.

Karachi Commissioner Muhammad Iqbal Memon also accompanied Michael Owen and said that youth trials would be held on February 5 at KPT Stadium.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28th, 2022.]]>
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			<title>PPP MPA accuses varsity VC of sending 'vulgar, sexual' stickers</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2339127/bbsul-vc-accused-of-sending-vulgar-sexual-sticker-via-whatsapp-to-ppp-mpa</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2339127/bbsul-vc-accused-of-sending-vulgar-sexual-sticker-via-whatsapp-to-ppp-mpa#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 17 Jan 22 15:12:06 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[sameer.mandhro]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category><category><![CDATA[Karachi]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2339127</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Member of Sindh Assembly Shazia Karim alleges Prof Akhtar Baloch sent her a short porn video clip via WhatsApp]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A sitting member of the Sindh Assembly has lodged a written complaint of harassment against Vice-Chancellor of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University Lyari (BBSUL) Prof Akhtar Baloch in Karachi.

In a letter, available with The Express Tribune, sent to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday, MPA Shazia Karim Sanghar from Lyari said: &ldquo;He [Baloch] has sent me vulgar, sexual and immoral stickers through WhatsApp.&rdquo;

The provincial minister, who is also one of the syndicate members of the BBSUL, said that she had lodged a complaint with Sindh Minister for Boards and Universities Ismail Rahu about the issues the varsity had been facing.

Read more: PPP MPA &lsquo;harassed&rsquo; by motorcyclists in Lyari

She said that after Rahu&rsquo;s contact, Prof Baloch phoned and harassed her.

Sources told The Express Tribune that after the threatening call via WhatsApp, The vice-chancellor also sent her a short porn video clip.



&ldquo;I forwarded her just a message being circulated on the social media,&rdquo; Prof Baloch said while speaking to The Express Tribune. He said that it was a &quot;press release kind of text&quot; that was sent to the woman MPA.

The university VC went on to say that the lawmaker was a syndicate member of the university. &ldquo;We have a good contact with Madam [MPA],&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We live in the same area,&rdquo; he added.

It was also learnt that the parliamentarian has also sent a complaint to the Cybercrime Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), requesting it to probe the matter as it was online harassment.

The PPP MPA has demanded the Sindh CM take stern action against the vice-chancellor immediately. Sources also revealed that the complaint has also been lodged with the PPP leadership.

Also read: PPP nominates Lyari woman on reserved seat

Speaking to The Express Tribune, a PPP lawmaker has confirmed the harassment letter against Prof Baloch has been sent to CM Murad and the cybercrime office.

&ldquo;Such attitude of an educationist will not be tolerated,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I am shocked and in mental trauma, since I received his text,&rdquo; the provincial minister added.

She further said that it was her prime responsibility to expose such people.]]>
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			<title>Lyari girls go to war against plastic</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2299366/lyari-girls-go-to-war-against-plastic</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2299366/lyari-girls-go-to-war-against-plastic#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 May 21 20:47:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Kashif Hussain]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2299366</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[New documentary on environment nominated for award]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Lyari may be one of the more impoverished areas of the metropolis, but that does not mean its women are any less concerned about the environment. In fact, their latest documentary on environmental protection has been nominated among seven other films for the Greenit campaign of the German Embassy in Pakistan. 

The documentary, titled &lsquo;Environment on the Frontline&rsquo;, has been created by the Lyari Girls Cafe. It highlights the hazards of using plastic and its impact on the environment. It also shows young girls of Lyari distributing handmade bags among locals and asking the masses to avoid using plastic bags. 

The voting process for the best documentary will continue till May 15. LGC members have taken photography and civil journalism courses and used these skills to the fullest when highlighting pollution in Lyari and Karachi. 

The team comprises its head Sehrish Turk and other members including Bisma Soomro, Shazia, Tasweer Fatima Khatri, Urooj and Amjad Hussain - all of whom are residents of Lyari. Turk tells The Express Tribune that they worked on street photography to show a better image of Lyari. She adds the documentary features activities carried out by LGC which aims to raise environmental protection on a public level.

Turk says promos for the documentary were posted on social media two months ago by the German Embassy, Islamabad. She outlines that all the team members agreed to shoot a short documentary based on LGC&rsquo;s environment-related activities. 

Read&nbsp;A house of love, a sanctuary for peace in Lyari

According to Turk, her team has been affiliated with the LGC since 2017 and has been participating in awareness campaigns for women empowerment, children&rsquo;s rights and environmental protection. &ldquo;LGC is promoting the trend of cycling among women and providing technical training to aspiring female boxers, among other activities,&rdquo; claims Turk.

She says that it took them over a month to complete the documentary and all six members of her team participated in shooting and editing the videos, while some others helped them voluntarily. The social activist hopes their participation in the documentary contest will bring the role of Lyari&rsquo;s women environmentalists to the fore. 

&ldquo;Climate change is a global issue and we want to urge every sensible person to participate in such activities,&rdquo; says Turk.

&ldquo;We will be more assured of our positive work if people encourage us and vote for our video to be selected for the award,&rdquo; she adds. She says their participation in this contest has instilled confidence among other women of the area and many are now willing to work on such projects.

&ldquo;This experience has boosted our spirit and we want to make more documentaries to highlight the positive image of Pakistan.&rdquo; 



Peddling away

According to Turk, cycling used to be a difficult activity for women, but LGC has now made it possible. She boasts that women are now cycling and filming videos in a place where it was once difficult for them to even travel alone. She reveals that local women are also making and distributing paper and cloth bags in markets to eliminate the use of plastic. 

The pandemic, lockdown and restricted moment have hampered the promotion of their documentary. &ldquo;It is a challenge for us to approach and ask communities to watch the film and support our goals,&rdquo; says Shazia Jameel, one of the filmmakers and the members of the LGC. 

&ldquo;The film seems to have gained the attention of thousands of people,&rdquo; Jameel says. &ldquo;We have been receiving messages and support from different corners of the country,&rdquo; she adds, saying supporters of her organisation have sent encouraging messages from all over the world. 

The documentary, titled &ldquo;Environment on the Frontline&rsquo;, highlights hazards of using plastic and its impact on the environment. It also shows young girls of Lyari distributing handmade bags among locals and asking the masses to avoid using plastic bags. 

The LGC launched the Say No To Plastic Bags campaign in August 2019. &ldquo;The girls have distributed roughly 11,000 handmade bags. We have to distribute 4,000 more in the coming days,&rdquo; reveals Urooj Bisma, another member of the LGC. 

The film also shows young girls cycling in different busy neighbourhoods and on roads of the city. &ldquo;We need a pollution-free Karachi and Pakistan,&rdquo; urges Bisma Soomro. She and other team members have visited different to boost their environmental movement. 

Around 60 girls cyclists regularly go for a ride on Sunday and over 150 girls have learnt cycling since 2017 when LGC launched the activity.

*With additional reporting by Sameer Mandhro 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11th, 2021.]]>
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			<title>Local court acquits Baloch in police attack case</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2294640/local-court-acquits-baloch-in-police-attack-case</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2294640/local-court-acquits-baloch-in-police-attack-case#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 13 Apr 21 21:22:36 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2294640</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The court stated while announcing the verdict that there was no evidence against Baloch]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A local court acquitted Lyari gangster Uzair Baloch on Tuesday in a case pertaining to attack on police.

The South additional District and Sessions Court judge announced the verdict at Karachi Central Jail.

The court stated while announcing the verdict that there was no evidence against Baloch, hence he should be released if he is not accused in any other case.

According to the prosecution, Baloch and his accomplices were present at Shah Waliullah Road in Naya Abad to attack the police during Lyari Operation. The accused opened fire at the armoured vehicle of the police and fled when more police force arrived.

Baloch has been acquitted in at least 14 cases against him pertaining to attack on police stations, police encounters and attempted murders in the past couple of months.

Sent on remand 

Meanwhile, the South judicial magistrate sent two accused to jail on judicial remand in a case pertaining to possession of drugs. The hearing was held at Karachi City Court.

The court sent the accused, Sarfaraz Khan and Irfanullah, on remand and sought a progress report from the investigation officer.

According to the prosecution, the Anti-Narcotics Force had seized 37kg hashish, Kalashnikovs, rifles, pistols and hundreds of bullets from the possession of the accused during a raid in Shireen Jinnah Colony&#39;s Block I.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 14th, 2021.]]>
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			<title>Court sends accused on two-day physical remand</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2294195/court-sends-accused-on-two-day-physical-remand</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2294195/court-sends-accused-on-two-day-physical-remand#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 10 Apr 21 20:57:17 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2294195</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[A local court sent three men accused of blackmailing and harassing a woman on a two-day physical remand]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A local court sent on Saturday three men accused of blackmailing and harassing a woman who died by suicide in Shadaman Town on a two-day physical remand. 

The three men, including primary accused Waqas, were presented before the Central judicial magistrate, who was informed by the investigation officer (IO) that three others accused in the case were on the run. 

The IO told the court that efforts were being made to arrest the accused on the run, who were named along with those arrested in a voice message sent by the deceased woman, S*, to her friend.

Uzair Baloch case

Separately, the court directed the jail authorities to submit the notification issued by the Sindh Home Department for holding the hearings of a case against Lyari gang war leader Uzair Baloch, in connection with attack on police and attempted murder, at Karachi Central Jail instead of Karachi City Court. 

The South additional district and sessions judge issued the directive after the jail officials failed to present Uzair before the court. 

A letter by the jail senior superintendent was submitted to the court. 

The letter stated that Baloch had been convicted in other cases and couldn&#39;t be transported to Karachi City Court due to security concerns. The jail official requested the court to hold the case&#39;s hearings at Karachi Central Jail and not to hear the case until the provincial Home Department issued a notification for the same.

Besides, the government lawyer informed the court that the police file of the case was not available.

The court directed the jail authorities to either produce Uzair Baloch before the court at the next hearing on May 3, or present the Home Department&#39;s notification. The court also summoned the IO at the next hearing. 

According to the police, 10 persons, including Shahjahan Baloch, have been acquitted in the case.

Fake faith healers jailed

Separately, East Judicial Magistrate Syed Imran Imam Zaidi sent two fake faith healers to jail in a fraud case.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials presented the accused, Awais and Arsalan, before the court. 

Investigation officer Ravez Ali shah informed the court that the accused had been swindling money from citizens on pretext of helping them achieve their objectives.

The court sought a report mentioning the number of citizens defrauded by the accused, among other details, and sent the accused to jail. The court also sought a report on the case&#39;s investigation from the FIA.

*initial used to protect identity

Published in The Express Tribune, April 11th, 2021.]]>
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			<title>A house of love, a sanctuary for peace in Lyari</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2290479/a-house-of-love-a-sanctuary-for-peace-in-lyari</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2290479/a-house-of-love-a-sanctuary-for-peace-in-lyari#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 20 Mar 21 16:11:48 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Yusra Salim]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2290479</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Five residents of the once violence-filled neighbourhood of Lyari band together to revive culture]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[They grew up in the narrow streets of Lyari. They witnessed first hand the violence that once marked that side of Karachi. From friends and neighbours rushing to join militant factions, to watching people be gunned down in broad daylight, they had every reason to chose a well-trodden path paved with blood.

And yet, five young minds from one of the oldest parts of the city chose a vastly different path. Instead of letting the violence that marked much of their life define them, Muhammad Faheem, Saqib Haroon, Sarfraz Hussain, Zohair Ali Bhouy, and Parveen Naz have instead chosen to create a safe space in Lyari.

Driving over the Chakiwara road when you cross the zonal office, the old building constructed in 1948 Habibia building is the one you have to visit if you want to see Lyari&rsquo;s own T2F called &lsquo;Mehr Ghar&rsquo; (which means a house of love).



&nbsp;

Naz, who is the founder of this group, came up with the idea of the enterprise, MehrDar Art and Production&rsquo; (MAD). Founded 10 years ago to promote documentary, film making, photojournalism and community build up to come out of the terror which Lyari and its youngsters has faced.

&ldquo;We started the enterprise to engage youth who went through trauma and have experienced violence in their daily lives,&rdquo; explained Naz. &ldquo;After the establishment of MAD, we felt that we needed to provide the youngsters with a safe space to gather and enhance their skills.&rdquo;

The main idea behind establishing Mehr Ghar is to polish the capabilities of youngsters and as the area, which houses a population of 2.2 million people lost community centres to violence. &ldquo;There are several community centers named under different communities but none of them are open for youth to learn something but are only used for two purposes: one is marriage ceremonies and other for funerals and that too is not free of cost,&rdquo; shared Faheem, who is a co-founder, adding that though it took them three months to build and renovate the space, the struggle itself spanned over ten years.

Out of the 2.2 million population, 1.3 million are youngsters and after all the damage done to their youth and neighbourhood, the government hasn&rsquo;t done anything to help them. &ldquo;When we started our social work, we knew there was an absence of a place where we could gather different communities under one roof,&rdquo; he said. He went onto add that before the operation in Lyari, the area did comprise such community halls where regardless of any difference, people would engage with each other. The main reason behind these centres was to create harmony between different ethnicities and faith however, since most of these centres had eventually been occupied by gangs or turned into religious seminaries, these centres were shut down during the crackdown.

The only cinema in the neighborhood, Crown Cinema, was also closed following the daily firing and killings in the area. The artists had nowhere to perform and show case their talents. &ldquo;To keep reviving our neighborhood, we have decided that in next five years we will make at least two more Mehr Ghars,&rdquo; said Faheem.



&nbsp;

Also, to encourage youth from other parts of the city which have similar stories as Lyari, like Ibrahim Hyderi, Baldia, Sultanabad, Shireen Jinnah colony, Korangi and many others, they have asked members of those neibourhoods to join their cause and start building up such spaces to reclaim their areas and invest in talent.

Walking inside the huge gate of the old heritage building, the 18-feet high ceilings and turquoise-colored gate immediately grab your attention. Stepping inside, the mural-painted red brick walls, the contemporary art hangings one, colourful chairs and piles and piles of books inside, completes the aura of this intellectual safehouse which is due to open its doors on March 20th.

Naz, sitting across from in a maroon Balochi dress, explains that the idea of this name &lsquo;Mehr Ghar&rsquo; comes from Rabindranath Tagore&rsquo;s philosophy of Shantiniketan, which was a school that offered unconventional ways of learning. &ldquo;Our concept isn&rsquo;t the same but we will branch out into something similar in the future,&rdquo; shared Naz attired in.



&nbsp;

Lyari has many community centres but each of them is affiliated with a specific community. Sharing the namesm Naz kept on going from Muslim Azad, Katchi baradari, Anjuman-e-Balochan and so on but their idea was to establish a space where noone has to worry about which caste, colour, religion or language he or she is coming from. &ldquo;Our doors won&rsquo;t be closed just because he or she does not same language as ours,&rdquo; she said.

The centre is a 2,400 sq ft area with a co-working space, library, media room, event and community hall as well as a caf&eacute;. &ldquo;This place was in shambles when we first came here. It took us so much thought and hard work to convert it into what it looks right now,&rdquo; said Faheem, who is a documentary filmmaker and a father of two, &ldquo;The total cost to renovate this place and turn it into a safe space is Rs1.3 million, which all the founding members and other similar minds invested with our savings and the prizes that we won from different competitions.&rdquo;



&nbsp;

The space was given by the owner of the building, which houses 42 families inside. Mehr Ghar is at the ground floor inside the premises of this building, &ldquo;The actual rent of this place is around Rs 125,000 a month but the owner really liked our efforts and the work we are doing and he wanted to help us in building a space like this so he has given us the place in just Rs25,000 a month and while the place was being renovated, he didn&rsquo;t even charge us the rent,&rdquo; said Faheem.

The main reason behind Mehr Ghar is to provide a secure place to students and youth who would otherwise would have to travel all the way to T2F or other similar places located in far away corners of the city. Here they can practice music, study, even complete their thesis and can also help in reviving the culture of open mic, dialogues and discussions, critical thinking. In response to a question about the design aesthetic of the place, Faheem shared that all the designing was done by the founders themselves. &ldquo;We kept searching the internet to select color palettes and we kept digging more and more [online] to finalise how we want the walls and what themes will we go with,&rdquo; he said.

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

To make the space more vibrant and give it a Lyari touch, the first wall which you see after entering from the huge door is painted by artist Tehmina Makonjia with all the monuments of Lyari including, Cheel Chowk, Lee Market Tower and Kashti Masjid &ndash; all monuments that were plastered across on tv screens by the media while breaking terror-related stories of the area. The wall that is directly opposite is painted with calligraphy by a local of Lyari named Rashid Ali. Different words are hidden in this wall and a game or an activity to find the concealed words would later be designed for the visitors.



&nbsp;

Mehr Ghar not only provides a physical space but has ensured an internet connection as well as a 24-hour generator-backed electricity supply to ensure an airconditioned environment for the caf&eacute; for those who come to the case to work long, hectic hours on their thesis and need to stay awake. Commenting on the future and sustainability of the project, Faheem said that they are not worried about the financial loss. &ldquo;Our motive was to make such spaces in the society and that is what we want to achieve. Loss of acceptance is greater than financial loss,&rdquo; he said.

The basic idea until now which the team shares to sustain is that they will provide memberships to students or people who are regular visitors to use the space and facilities to maintain the space and manage bills. &ldquo;We will charge minimal amount in which all the facilities from the library, internet connections, tea or coffe, and most important, a secure environment, will be provided,&rdquo; said Faheem. While still not finalised, the membership cost will most likely be between Rs5,000 to 8,000 a month.



&nbsp;

Women empowerment

With Lyari being an ethnically diverse neighborhood, it also possesses gender diversity which was affected with the rise of violence in Lyari. Talking about how the community centre will help access of women in the community, Naz commented that women are now restricted to their homes and are only seen at either weddings or funeral. &ldquo;Women are more impactful in eliminating the divide in different communities, hatred is always at the minimum amongst the women thus young women coming here will create great impact,&rdquo; she added.

Naz who is a social worker herself added that during lockdown, men after losing their jobs regretted not allowing the women in their family to work, otherwise their financial conditions would have been much better. &ldquo;After this realisation many have already approached us to learn stitching or to study different subjects so that they can at least teach in schools and earn their bread and butter,&rdquo; said Naz who taught in the same school she has studied in, in order to give back to the community she has taken from.

To help build a stronger network among women, Saqib Haroon shared how they have taken all the stakeholders into confidence for this purpose. &ldquo;We are operating inside a family building, this will encourage women to come and see what we are doing and they can also enhance their skills which will eventually help them in learning new things and feel empowered,&rdquo; he explained.



&nbsp;

The road of trauma that lead to Mehr Ghar 

Each soul and family have lost something or the other during the times that Lyari faced violence, sitting in the safe space each face had a sad notion when they try to remember why they are here together and what made them all decide that a place like Mehr Ghar is the need of the time.

The rise of militancy and the subsequent operation by law enforcement agencies made Lyari safer from militancy but it fractured it along the way and left permanent scars upon the memory of its residents. Sarfaraz Hussain recalls how his friends from other parts of the cities stopped coming to see them, how they were denied jobs which actually created great frustration among the youth and the militancy then attracted them. Young men aged between 14 and 25 became parts of the gangs, parents of their friends were afraid and never let them meet, friendships ended and youth in Lyari had nowhere to go. &ldquo;Stadiums, playing grounds, community centres, everything was taken away from us, we had nowhere to play cricket or sit around the corners of the street to talk to friends,&rdquo; he said heavy heartedly.

&ldquo;I had all the reasons to join the fascinating militancy, and I was almost there but then deep down in my heart, I knew this was the wrong path,&rdquo; shared Saqib Haroon. He mentioned that his mother was a house maid while his father was a drug addict but with his mother&rsquo;s financial support he continued his studies, became a hawker and even sold biryani but never gave a thought about militancy.



&nbsp;

With teary eyes, he shared, &ldquo;I used to in live in UC-12, my house was just behind Uzair Baloch&rsquo;s home. I was denied various jobs in various banks despite being competent and having an in MBA degree just because of the address on my CNIC was of Lyari.&rdquo;

All Haroon went through made him so disheartened that he tried committing suicide three times because the trauma and violence which he has seen still haunts him and he doesn&rsquo;t like to recall what he has gone through.

The colourful and artistic surroundings of this newly built Mehr Ghar suddenly turned black and white as Haroon recalls bloodshed memories of his teenage days. Sitting in front of the wall that depics all the past violence and terror of Lyari, Haroon says, &ldquo;All we have is present and the future, while the past haunts us.&rdquo;

&ldquo;Chauda, pandara&hellip;&rdquo; Haroon Fumbles but collects himself and continues to narrate the story: &ldquo;Chauda Pandra saal key do larkey merey ghar k paas marey huey parhe they, sar me goli lagi thi, khoon nikal raha tha. Koi qareeb nahi aaraha [Two young boys, aged between 14 or 15 years, were lying dead with bullets in their heads, outside my house one day. Not a single person came to near the bodies to pick them up]. He recollects how when he went near them, he realized that their blood was still fresh blood. Haroon went onto add that few other friends of were also killed, some others became victims of cross fire between the gangs.

&ldquo;Our past is full of bullet-riddled bodies, drugs, rejection from society, neglect from the government but we do not want the next generation to suffer. Thus Mehr Ghar is the foundation to protecting the future of our children,&rdquo; he concluded.

Faheem recalling when he realised that he needs to give back to the society and fight these odds, shared that in 2011, one day a few gang members came to his door and said that they wanted to use their terrace as bunkers. &ldquo;What option did I had that time other than taking my cancer patient mother and three sisters with me and shift out of Lyari? Otherwise they would have killed me,&rdquo; he says. Faheem was only 18 years old at the time and returned to the same house in 2017 after the operation cleared his house.

&ldquo;As children, we were born right in the hub of gang and drug violence, all we can recall from our childhood or teenage days is fights between gangs, every third person on drugs and a town going nowhere but down south towards destruction,&rdquo; he said.

Naz who is the eldest among the five members and has seen the four grow up in front of her eyes recalls how when in 2000 she used to go to teach at the school, young children were forced to take drugs so that they would slowly get addicted. &ldquo;In those narrow streets I have witnessed child abuse and have seen kids falling into the traps the drug sellers set for them.&rdquo;

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>‘Three Lyari gangsters, two robbers’ arrested</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2288751/three-lyari-gangsters-two-robbers-arrested</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2288751/three-lyari-gangsters-two-robbers-arrested#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Mar 21 21:04:57 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2288751</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Rangers spokesperson says detained gang war members part of extortionist group]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Sindh Rangers and police claimed to have arrested two suspected members of a robbers&#39; gang and three extortionists associated with the Lyari gang war in separate operations. The suspects were handed over to the police along with the weapons and ammunition confiscated from their possession, said a Rangers&#39; spokesperson on Wednesday.

According to him, three members of a most wanted extortionist group were arrested in joint-operation of the paramilitary force and police in Lyari.

The Rangers spokesperson said that the suspected extortionists, identified as Muhammad Kamran alias Mama, Usman and Usama, had dropped an extortion chit at the shop of a local trader, Danish, in the jurisdiction of Baghdadi Police Station on February 7, 2021. He added that the extortionists called Danish on the phone to demand money and later shot him when he failed to pay the extortion amount.

He said that during interrogation, Kamran alias Mama had admitted to being associated with notorious Lyari gangster Jameel alias Changa. The other two extortionists are associated with Lyari gang war&#39;s Wasiullah Lakho group, he added.

According to the spokesperson, Kamran alias Mama joined the Lyari gang war in 2007. Kamran is accused of extortion, murders and causing injuries to several people during exchange of fire with other groups. Besides, the spokesperson added, Kamran engaged in drug dealing and replaced an SHO for not cooperating with him. 

He was also involved in several encounters with the police and Rangers, said the spokesperson, adding that Kamran injured several persons during an attack on Haji Mureed Goth in 2012, killed Shahid alias Lamba and his two accomplices near Rexer Lines in 2013 and shot dead two citizens in Old Golimar area in 2014.

Moreover, the spokesperson said that three robbers, identified as Muhammad Farhan and Ahmed Abdul Sattar alias Rameez, were arrested in a separate intelligence-based operation in Orangi Town. The suspects are members of a gang of thieves, involved in several robberies, snatchings and other street crimes, he added. 

The spokesperson maintained that during initial interrogation, Farhan and Sattar had confessed to looting over Rs97,000 in cash and over 20 mobile phones in separate robberies. He said that the suspects have been arrested and imprisoned before as well for their involvement in different robberies and possession of illegal weapons.

The arrested suspects and their accomplices recently snatched Rs7,000 and three mobile phones during a robbery at a hardware and paint shop in Orangi Town electronics market on February 9, said the spokesperson, adding that the arrests were made with the help of the CCTV footage of the incident, in which Farhan and Sattar can be seen.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2021.]]>
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			<title>Lyari’s rising boxing star</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2278565/lyaris-rising-boxing-star</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2278565/lyaris-rising-boxing-star#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 03 Jan 21 21:30:48 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[kashif.hussain]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2278565</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Alia, a teenage boxer from Lyari, realises her father’s aspirations of succeeding in sports]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The low-pitched &lsquo;thud&rsquo; of the punch landing on her opponent was accentuated by the silence surrounding her. Apart from biffs and thumps following every punch, occasional cheers, though not too loud, and rare hoots that would fade out soon were the only sounds that would break the silence. And even if there were other sounds, 16-year-old Alia Soomro had blocked them successfully. Focused and determined, she was resolute to win another game.

She hailed from Lyari - an old neighborhood of Karachi, home to sportspersons and sports enthusiasts for years. Even years of anarchy and gang wars had not been able to dampen the spirits of its resilient residents.

So, it was natural for Hanif Soomro, Alia&rsquo;s father, to encourage her to take up boxing when he saw her growing interest in the sport.

&ldquo;She was eight years old and in the third grade when I started noticing that every time we would pass by Pak Shaheen Boxing Club, she would look at girls getting trained there with longing,&rdquo; he recalled.

Hanif introduced her to the boxing ring, which, for him, was a substitute to the football field, where he had dreamt of scoring winning goals in his younger days.

A daily wage earner who supports a family of six on a meagre income, loading and unloading heavy commercial goods throughout the day, he was once a budding footballer. Later, forced to work to survive hard times, he had to give up on his passion.

He saw Alia&rsquo;s growing interest in boxing as an opportunity to live his dream of emerging as a successful athlete through her. He would accompany her to the training club and boxing competitions - Alia hasn&rsquo;t lost a single competition thus far. He was there to hold her at every fall and assure her every time she would doubt her ability, talent and chances to win.

&ldquo;Alia had the fear of getting hurt and I had to help her overcome that barrier,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I was injured multiple times when I used to play football, but every injury increased my morale. You cannot let the fear of injury come in the way of the joy of success.&rdquo;

Hanif could see the fire in his daughter to make a name for herself in the world of boxing. He had witnessed her getting fascinated by, and in awe of, sports women wearing boxing gloves, landing punch after punch on sandbags. It would have been unfair, he thought, had he let her give up on her passion, as well as his own so to speak.

He imbued her with confidence and a sense of purpose and got her registered at Pak Shaheed Boxing Club, on the condition that she would give her best at playing the sport. And as promised, Alia began scoring victories, one after the other.

She is so far unbeaten in all competitions of her weight division that she has participated in. Besides, he has participated in boxing tournaments at the national level. In a three-round match, she beat a boy, emerging as the first female boxer to have beaten a male opponent of the same age and weight as her in the country. When she was representing Karachi in All Balochistan Khair Mohammad Kakar Tournament, she won a match without any fight as her opponent, a player from Quetta, refused to face her in the ring.

Given her long list of wins at such a young age, the United Nations Children&rsquo;s Fund has included her in a list of children who have demonstrated extraordinary talent. She is also covered under another one of UNICEF&rsquo;s programmes that highlights children from Pakistan who have achieved success despite facing difficult circumstances.

But this is not it for Alia. Someone who idealises Muhammad Ali, a boxer who is celebrated worldwide, she realises that she has a long way to go, to carry forward her and her father&rsquo;s dream. And working hard day in and out, she is well on the path to success.

&nbsp;

This story is part of a weekly series that seeks to bring to light the unsung heroes of Karachi - the hawkers, traders, doctors, teachers, engineers, lawyers and daily-wage labourers. It is they who make Karachi the city of lights.

&nbsp;

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2021.]]>
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			<title>Tribune Take: Digital by force, not by choice</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2278294/tribune-take-digital-by-force-not-by-choice</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2278294/tribune-take-digital-by-force-not-by-choice#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Jan 21 18:06:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Asfa Sultan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2278294</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[It took a pandemic for Pakistan's entertainment industry to recognise the power of OTT]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[2020 was the year of leaps of faith. Not just in trying to walk to your local grocery store but also in making risky business decisions; particularly in the creative industries. According to Forrester, Netflix, Amazon and Hotstar spent nearly $520 million this year ($100 million more than in 2019) on creating content for Indian audiences. Netflix invested about $400 million to license and create more than 50 films and shows in India over the past two years. But as OTT giants invested billions of rupees in our neighbouring country, our cinema-dependent and television-oriented entertainment industry stood confused, letting its daily wagers and revenue suffer.

Film-makers were hit with the realisation that they either required a Pakistani streaming service or content that meets international demands so it can be streamed elsewhere. As for producing OTT originals, film-maker, and host Rafay Rashdi, whose talk show made it to Amazon Prime this year, told The Express Tribune, &ldquo;In order to make original pitches to Amazon or Netflix, you need to be situated outside of Pakistan since we have no agents or regional offices.&rdquo;

Ray of hope

July 2020 brought with it some surprises after these hard-hitting realities were actualised. Film-maker duo Fizza Ali Meerza and Nabeel Qureshi announced that a Pakistani web-series based on Lyari gang war was in the works.



This was followed by the promise of a web-series by Faisal Qureshi as the Teen Bata Teen producer claimed he&rsquo;d be taking a dive into the digital waters by exploring a phenomenon most Pakistanis were familiar with; load-shedding. Actor Junaid Khan also announced a &lsquo;motivational&rsquo; series titled Keh Do that will be streamed on YouTube.

Simultaneously, an Indian streaming platform&rsquo;s game-changing strategy to invest in and release Pakistani content stirred much curiosity. Albeit, inaccessible for its viewers in Pakistan now, ZEE5 promised to launch five new Pakistani original series as part of its revival, two of which have been released so far.

But this was not a consequence of Covid-19 provided the mentioned shows had been in the pipeline since long before. Still, the attention Asim Abbasi&rsquo;s Churails garnered was enough to inspire creatives to explore the digital realm.



And if that&rsquo;s not all, Nashpati Prime &ndash; which, back in March was a one-stop entertainment channel on YouTube &ndash; expanded into a space offering diverse and engaging culture and entertainment content to viewers. The new web portal, features the likes of critically-acclaimed playwright Zafar Mairaj helming a show titled Khanabadosh.



Having realised the limits of television today, Mairaj, in an interview with The Express Tribune had said that due to corporations and privately owned channels, mainstream television had lost connection with its actual demographic, leading the likes of him to turn to social media.

Turning point

Churails star Sarwat Gilani in an interview with the BBC relayed how liberating it was to be working on a web series, as opposed to dealing with the &lsquo;kind of limitations&rsquo; imposed on television. &quot;It&#39;s unfortunate Pakistan doesn&#39;t have a platform for progressive and real stories,&quot; she complained. Prior to this, Yasra Rizvi had told The Express Tribune that, &ldquo;Our actors have become props we package with cathartic narratives that only talk about women and their domestic issues. But that doesn&rsquo;t mean we don&rsquo;t have other stories to tell.&rdquo; 

Soon after, on a panel discussion at the Arts Council, director Nadeem Baig addressed the systematic failure of television to create opportunities for theatre actors. But the Jawani Phir Nahi Aani director assured the audience that &ldquo;TV&rsquo;s monopoly as a medium is about to end.&rdquo;



Coincidentally, three days after his claim, the Federal Minister of Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter on October 23 to announce that a Pakistani version of Netflix was in the works. &ldquo;We at the Ministry of Science and Technology are all set to launch Pakistan&rsquo;s first OTT television (Pakistani version of Netflix). The technology part is complete and we have asked PEMRA to prepare a guideline on content,&quot; Chaudhry wrote.




We at @MinistryofST are all set to launch Pakistan&rsquo;s first OTT Tv (Pak version of #Netflix) Technology part is complete have asked PEMRA to prepare a guideline on content and we will be all set to launch in PPP mode, it ll be just another humble contribution..
&mdash; Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) October 23, 2020



&quot;We will be all set to launch in PPP (Public-Private Partnership) mode.&rdquo; Expected to launch in January 2021, Urduflix is set to feature a range of content from original to already popular dramas, films, web series, documentaries, cartoons, and even Urdu-dubbed Turkish shows.

Not to mention, another Pakistani short-form digital media platform for on-demand streaming titled Rinstra launched on December 23. Veteran screenwriter Haseena Moin joined this platform&rsquo;s Board of Advisors in October and promised to pen two web-series for it. The very platform is also set to release Gudai, a Pashto web series tackling the issue of early marriages. While ZEE5&rsquo;s Ek Jhooti Love Story director Mehreen Jabbar has directed a psychological thriller web series for the same.



But even if we get our own streaming platform, would film-makers be able to cope with our censorship policies when sending in their content? Especially since a local regulator had asked ZEE5 to take down Churails for Pakistani audiences, despite the fact that it was on an Indian streamer.

These aren&rsquo;t easy questions to answer but dodging these bullets isn&rsquo;t going to make 2021 any better.]]>
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			<title>Maradona’s death plunges Lyari into grief</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2273696/maradonas-death-plunges-lyari-into-grief</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2273696/maradonas-death-plunges-lyari-into-grief#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 26 Nov 20 19:09:29 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[natasha.raheel]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2273696</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Though many of Karachi’s footballers never saw him play live, their love for him runs deep]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[When Muhammad Daniyal Nadeem alias Denna&rsquo;s father heard legendary Argentinian footballer Diego Maradona had passed away on Wednesday, he was plunged into anger and sorrow to the point that he - a former footballer himself - could not eat.

In recent years, he had only watched the World Cup to see Maradona watching the games from the spectators&rsquo; stands.

That, according to Karachi United Football Club&rsquo;s star player Denna, is the power of Maradona. That is how much he is loved in Lyari and how much his death, on the other side of the globe, had stunned football fans here.

&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never seen Maradona play myself, but the love for him came to me from my father. I&rsquo;ve grown up admiring the man - he was a legend and it is a loss,&rdquo; remarked Denna. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been sharing clips of Maradona and tributes to him all day. Everyone in Lyari is talking about him.&rdquo;

Plus, he smiled, his father would say the gifted footballer was also loved because he had shown the English that they didn&rsquo;t own the sport - a reference to Maradona&rsquo;s iconic 1986 Fifa World Cup campaign, which led Argentina to glory and included the notorious &lsquo;Hand of God&rsquo; incident, earning him a lifetime of English commentators and fans&rsquo; wrath. 

The former Napoli FC and Barcelona FC star is well-loved - indeed, idolised - in Pakistan and Denna believes the only reason there haven&rsquo;t been any gatherings in tribute to him is the fear of Covid-19. And so, the clubs in Lyari have only seen people remembering the larger-than-life legend and his feisty persona that represented football in all its glory.

In the eyes of K-Electric player Akbar Ali, who is protesting against KE for shutting down the football team and forcing players to work nominal jobs, Maradona&rsquo;s death is symbolic for him and for Karachi&rsquo;s football community.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s the death of a star. Today, my club Phool Patti FC didn&rsquo;t train, we didn&rsquo;t play any matches, in protest [against KE] but also in mourning. Everyone in Lyari is sad,&rdquo; he explained. &ldquo;Here, we only take the names of [Brazilian footballer] Pele and Maradona. Now we admire Lionel Messi too, but Maradona has been like a god even to those who didn&rsquo;t see him play.&rdquo; 

Pakistan Steel Mills footballer Muhammad Tariq, too, feels the world of football is smaller without Maradona&rsquo;s presence. &ldquo;Every football fan is sad, whether here in Malir on any other place.&rdquo;

Echoing Tariq, Meer Ahmed from Ibrahim Hyderi&rsquo;s Baloch Mujahid FC said the visionary player&rsquo;s passing was felt more keenly because of the grief of community elders. &ldquo;We grew up hearing legendary stories about him. He was bigger than even Messi now. We haven&rsquo;t planned any gatherings yet because of Covid-19, but we share the sorrow of all football fans.&rdquo; 

Maradona passed away in Buenos Aires, Argentina, due to a heart attack after battling a series of health problems at the age of 60. 

Considered by some to be the greatest football player ever, his death has left the sports world in shock and grief.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>ATC sets date for Uzair Baloch’s indictment</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2262987/atc-sets-date-for-uzair-balochs-indictment</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2262987/atc-sets-date-for-uzair-balochs-indictment#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 07 Sep 20 20:19:34 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2262987</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Gangster says he was not being provided facilities at the sub-jail run by Rangers]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[An anti-terrorism court (ATC) heard seven cases against Lyari gang leader Uzair Baloch on Monday, and set the date for indictment in two of the seven cases. 

During the hearing, Baloch told the court that he was not being provided with facilities in line with the jail manual at Mitha Ram Hostel, a sub-jail run by the Rangers. He requested permission to be allowed access to sunlight. Upon hearing Baloch&rsquo;s statement that he was being kept in a closed room and was not allowed any sunlight, the court remarked that directives will be given allowing Baloch access to sunlight. The court provided Baloch with copies of the case pertaining to police assault and attack at Kalakot Police Station, and two cases pertaining to terrorism, and set the date for indictment. The accused was permitted to meet with his wife, mother, daughter and cousin at the court. 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Pre-Partition temple  allegedly razed in Lyari</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2259990/pre-partition-temple-allegedly-razed-in-lyari</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2259990/pre-partition-temple-allegedly-razed-in-lyari#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 20 19:55:42 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[sameer.mandhro]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2259990</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Authorities seal site, launch inquiry as Hindu community accuses builder]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The police sealed a construction site where a pre-Partition Hindu temple was allegedly demolished by a builder on Monday.

Dozens of Hindu families had gathered at the site on the narrow streets of Fida Hussain Sheikh Road in Lyari after they heard that the Hanuman Mandir there had been razed the previous evening. 

Soon after, Lyari assistant commissioner Abdul Karim Memon arrived with the police and, inspecting the temple that had been reduced to a pile of bricks , sealed all three doors of the construction site, where a residential building is to be erected.

&quot;We have initiated an inquiry,&quot; he told The Express Tribune after sealing the location, adding that he had sealed it so that the probe could be carried out. 

&quot;It is an injustice as a place of worship has been destroyed,&quot; decried an elderly onlooker, Mohammad Irshad Baloch. &quot;It was an old temple. We have been seeing it since we were children.&quot;

A resident of the area, Heera Lal, informed The Express Tribune that there had been 18 families living near the temple. &quot;We were assured by the builder that the temple would not be destroyed,&quot; he insisted, adding that the demolition had taken place late on Sunday evening.

&quot;No one was allowed to visit the temple during the lockdown,&quot; explained Haresh, another resident who often visited the temple before. &quot;He [the builder] exploited the situation [of the pandemic] and demolished our place of worship while we could not visit it,&quot; he cried, demanding that the temple be restored.

He, too, claimed the builder had promised the area&#39;s Hindu residents that the temple would not be demolished, adding that all the families living around it were even assured of alternative housing.

As the news spread, several of Lyari&#39;s Hindu residents trickled to the temple, voicing their disappointment and anger as they spoke to the officials present there.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Mohan Lal, a Hindu activist, accused the builder of threatening members of the minority community who had assembled at the site and highlighted the temple&#39;s demolition.

&quot;We tried to enter the temple but were denied entry by the builder,&quot; he narrated, adding that the man had deceived the residents living there. &quot;We will not allow anyone to demolish our places of worship in this manner,&quot; he added.

Meanwhile, South deputy commissioner Irshad Ahmed Sodhar told The Express Tribune that there had previously been two temples there, according to the Hindu families living at the site, but one of them had already been moved earlier. 

He reiterated that an inquiry had been launched into the incident, adding that they would examine all aspects of it. &quot;A committee will be formed for the purpose, including an archaeologist, and the probe will be completed within seven days,&quot; he claimed. &quot;We will ensure that everyone will get justice.&quot;

The builder could not be reached to comment on the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Lyari sinks deep in a sewage crisis</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2258158/lyari-sinks-deep-in-a-sewage-crisis</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2258158/lyari-sinks-deep-in-a-sewage-crisis#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 20 19:42:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[sameer.mandhro]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2258158</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[As filthy water floods locality, residents claim problem remains unaddressed due to ‘political’ factors]]>
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				<![CDATA[It took years for Lyari to free itself from a prolonged gang war that had stalled movement and progress in Karachi&#39;s oldest neighbourhood. But the end of this violence, apparently, was not to be the end of Lyari&#39;s plight.

The area still finds itself in the clutches of a faulty drainage and sewerage system, sinking deeper into filth day by day. 

&quot;It is a like a no-go area once again,&quot; lamented Muhammad Hussain, speaking to The Express Tribune. Sharing his ordeal, as well as that of others living near Lyari&#39;s Al-Falah Road, Hussain related that some elderly residents, including a woman, had even sustained injuries due to the pooled sewage water flooding the area&#39;s streets and roads. &quot;It has become difficult to go anywhere.&quot; 

According to Muhammad Ishaq Hingoro, a shopkeeper in the area, residents have been knee-deep in a sewage crisis for the past two years, with filthy water taking over the streets over the last month.

The situation seems to have aggravated further over the past two weeks, hampering life in Lyari, particularly in Agra Taj Colony, Bihar Colony and localities near Al-Falah Road and Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Road.

As a result, while local businesses have been affected on one hand, residents, especially the elderly, have been confined to their homes on the other.

&quot;This mess has affected us economically and socially,&quot; explained Hingoro. So much so, that some shopkeepers and residents have now started considering a move to cleaner areas, he added. 

Expressing dismay at Lyari&#39;s state, Muhammad Hanif, who lives near Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Road, pointed out that the accumulation of sewage water even posed a risk to children&#39;s health, making them prone to water-borne diseases. &quot;Our lives are at risk!&quot; he decried.

&#39;A political issue&#39;

According to Lyari&#39;s residents, many among them have approached local government representatives and elected representatives about the issue, but to no avail.

Hussain said that authorities&#39; apathy continued despite three MPAs, an MNA and the South district municipal corporation (DMC) chairperson residing close to the affected areas.

In his eyes, nobody seemed interested in resolving the issue as &quot;it is more of political problem than an administrative one.&quot;

Echoing similar views, Hingoro explained that the areas near Al-Falah Road were a political battleground. All major political parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan and Jamaat-e-Islami have strong roots there, he said. &quot;Common residents suffer because of the political clash,&quot; he added.

&quot;None of the political leaders listen to us,&quot; decried Hanif, who had gone as far as raising the issue on social media to draw attention to it. &quot;And some exasperated citizens even pasted political leaders&#39; photographs beside gutters and sewers.&quot; Despite these extreme steps, though, their cries fell on deaf ears.

Hanif primarily held PTI MNA Shakoor Shad responsible for Lyari&#39;s deteriorating condition, adding that the inefficiency of the local administration and the construction of high-rise structures, too, contributed to the problem.

Promises, promises

When contacted, Shad admitted to being aware of the issue. &quot;We will soon replace old and damaged [sewerage] lines with new ones,&quot; he said, assuring that the work would be initiated soon. 

South DMC chairperson Malik Fayyaz, who belongs to the PPP, remained unavailable to comment on the matter despite multiple attempts to contact him. 

Full circle

Disgruntled by long-unfulfilled promises and the authorities&#39; apathy, Muhammad Siddique, another Lyari resident, told The Express Tribune that when Fayyaz visited the area on the second day of Eidul Azha, he was abused by infuriated citizens.

&quot;People here have been inconvenienced by the uneven supply of water and [faulty] sewerage system,&quot; he said. &quot;Our basic rights have been snatched by politicians. In the past, we suffered because of the law and order situation, and our suffering continues due to the unavailability of drinking water and the [lack of a proper] sewerage system.&quot;

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>SHC orders removal of illegal cattle market in Lyari</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2256989/shc-orders-removal-of-illegal-cattle-market-in-lyari</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2256989/shc-orders-removal-of-illegal-cattle-market-in-lyari#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 27 Jul 20 21:58:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category><category><![CDATA[Karachi]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2256989</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Antiquities dept DG apologises to bench in contempt of court plea]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Sindh High Court directed on Monday the West deputy commissioner (DC) to remove the illegal cattle market established in Lyari.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Khadim Hussain M Shaikh and Justice Arshad Hussain Khan, was hearing the plea against the establishment of the cattle market on the road in Lyari.

The petitioner&#39;s counsel maintained that the cattle market at Bakra Piri was under a private contractor, Shabbir alias Kaalu, and was still operational despite judicial orders regarding its removal.

The Kalakot and Pak Colony police presented reports regarding the illegal cattle market. According to the former&#39;s report, the police were trying to trace Shabbir, while the Pak Colony police maintained that Bakra Piri did not fall under their jurisdiction.

When the court inquired why the market had not yet been removed, the counsel representing the West district municipal corporation claimed it had been removed.

&quot;Were the pictures published in the newspapers fake then?&quot; asked the court. In response, the counsel requested the court to grant them some time to confirm the facts regarding the market&#39;s presence.

The petitioner&#39;s counsel remarked that the administration wanted to get through the Eidul Azha season by acquiring extensions.

The court directed the West DC to remove the market and sought a report from the parties by July 29.

Court seeks counter-reply

A single-member bench, comprising Justice Agha Faisal, directed the petitioner&#39;s counsel to submit a counter-reply against the reply submitted by the accused in a contempt of court plea.

The court was hearing the plea against the Sindh Antiquities Department and other parties, pertaining to construction in Karachi Gymkhana (KG).

In the plea, the KG administration maintained that the court had allowed them to continue construction on the premises but the antiquities department and other authorities were putting pressure on them to stop.

Sindh Antiquities Department director-general Manzoor Kanasro, section officer Muhammad Khan Bhingwar and South DC appeared in court, apologising before the bench and maintaining that they had not violated the judicial orders deliberately. Claiming that they respected the court, they moved the bench to accept their apology.

The court directed the KG administration to submit a counter-reply at the next hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>The Lyari river — from ‘nullah’ to woodland?</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2255681/the-lyari-river-from-nullah-to-woodland</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2255681/the-lyari-river-from-nullah-to-woodland#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 19 Jul 20 19:12:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[sameer.mandhro]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2255681</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Trees spring up, but garbage dumping, encroachments still pose hurdle to urban forest project]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Karachi Urban Forest project&#39;s initiative to turn the filth-ridden Lyari River into a breath of fresh air amid the concrete jungle has started bearing fruit, despite authorities allegedly continuing to treat the river as a garbage-dumping spot.

&quot;There used to be garbage heaps everywhere here,&quot; recalled Karachi Social Forestry conservator Abdul Jabbar Kazi, talking to The Express Tribune. &quot;But now it&#39;s gradually turning into a lush green forest.&quot;

In February this year, various species of plants and trees were planted alongside the river, over a 1.8-kilometre-long tract starting from the Mauripur Bridge, in a bid to convert the area -nothing more than a nullah at the time - into a green belt.

The seeds sown back then showed quick results with plants growing rapidly on the site, encouraging foresters and gardeners to turn the entire riverside track into an urban jungle over the next two years.

&nbsp;

As a result, several species of neem, shisham (Indian rosewood), tropical almond, cheeku (sapodilla), mullberry, jamun (java plum), pecan, gulmohar (royal poinciana) and other indigenous trees have been planted along the Lyari river.

The forester deployed at the site, Inayatullah Panhwar, estimated that at least 16,000 trees have been planted on the river&#39;s banks over the past few months, and according to Kazi, some of these species, such as shisham and bhan, have been introduced for the first time in the port city. &quot;Both these species have grown amazingly well.&quot;

The change has not gone unnoticed.

Forest and wildlife secretary Abdul Rahim Soomro had his hopes high for the urban forest. &quot;You will see a drastically different picture here within a year,&quot; he claimed, adding that it was expected that people from across the city would visit the river following the transformation.

Care has also been taken to plant trees in such a way that sufficient space is left for cricket and football enthusiasts from nearby areas, who regularly visit the area, to play in well-planned sports grounds.

The project is reportedly considered as one of the largest initiatives launched with regards to urban forestry in the world and aims to plant approximately one million trees and other plants by the river.

Tending to the trees

According to Panhwar, eight gardeners have been assigned to look after the plantation. Fruit-bearing trees are watered using fresh water supplied by the local government department and the rest gulp up drain water.

Before anything is planted, gardeners remove at least three feet of waste, replacing it with fertile soil from the city&#39;s suburbs. &quot;Otherwise, the solid waste, garbage and plastic buried under the soil would not let the trees grow well,&quot; explained Kazi.

It is such difficulties that pose a challenge in the way of turning the river bank into an urban forest, according to him. However, he is optimistic that the initiative&#39;s first phase will be completed by the end of July.



The hindrance

Kazi&#39;s optimism, perhaps, is a result of Pakistan Peoples party chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari taking a keen interest in the project, inaugurating it and even visiting the river twice since February.

However, reports have surfaced of various bodies and persons continuing to dump garbage there.

An official posted at the site, who asked not to be named, told The Express Tribune that it wasn&#39;t just private contractors - officials from the South and West districts, too, had been dumping garbage in and along the river.

&quot;The garbage then has to be removed before we can plant trees,&quot; he said, adding that though they had been requested multiple times to stop the &quot;illegal activity,&quot; it had made no difference.

Another barrier in the way of the project is the encroachment by gypsies, cattle markets and transporters who park heavy vehicles along the river in large numbers, making it difficult to plant trees.

&quot;Moreover, children from nearby areas use the water we store for plants, posing another hurdle,&quot; a gardener pointed out, saying that the local police had been apprised of the predicament multiple times. &quot;This forest belongs to all residents of this locality. They have to own it,&quot; he added.

Nevertheless, like Kazi, he refuses to let go of hope and, witnessing the rapid growth of the trees, looks forward to seeing the forest emerge as a recreational spot for Karachi&#39;s citizens.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Toxic gas kills sanitary worker</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2255678/toxic-gas-kills-sanitary-worker</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2255678/toxic-gas-kills-sanitary-worker#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 19 Jul 20 19:09:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2255678</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Two others left unconscious]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A sanitary worker was killed and two others left unconscious after inhaling toxic gases while cleaning a manhole in Agra Taj Colony in Lyari on Sunday.

The deceased and injured were pulled out of the manhole and shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital. The deceased was identified as 50-year-old Dildar, while the others were identified as Bota, 40, and Nasir, 40.

According to area residents, most of the manholes in the area had overflowed during the monsoon rains on Friday, leading to the accumulation of sewerage on roads.

On Sunday, union council members and sanitary workers came to fix the issue. Dildar was lowered into the manhole with a rope tied to him for security, while the other two held the rope. When there was no movement from Dildar, the other two workers, went in after him and both fainted from inhaling the toxic gases too.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Sindh Rangers murder case: ATC summons witnesses</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2255577/sindh-rangers-murder-case-atc-summons-witnesses</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2255577/sindh-rangers-murder-case-atc-summons-witnesses#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 19 Jul 20 01:08:21 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2255577</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Hearing adjourned due to absence of govt's counsel]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[An anti-terrorism court (ATC) directed on Saturday the investigation officer to present witnesses at the next hearing of the Rangers officials murder case registered against Lyari kingpin Uzair Baloch.

Baloch was presented before the court under strict security at the hearing,

Summoning witnesses, the court adjourned the hearing until July 25 due to the absence of the government&#39;s lawyer.

According to the police, Baloch had kidnapped Rangers officials, killed them and dumped their mutilated bodies in Mewa Shah Graveyard.

An ATC also sent Allama Ghulam Jaffer Jatoi to prison for three days and imposed a fine of Rs15,000 on him for defying court orders that restricted him from travelling outside Punjab and making a public address even after his name was included in the fourth schedule list. The fourth schedule is a list of people closely monitored due to their possible links with militant groups or involvement in harmful activities.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Nurses demand action against AMS</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2255255/nurses-demand-action-against-ams</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2255255/nurses-demand-action-against-ams#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jul 20 20:53:49 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2255255</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Show-cause notice issued to 27 nurses at the Lyari General Hospital]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Following the issuance of show-cause notices to 27 nurses at the Lyari General Hospital by the Sindh Health Department on July 8, the nurses have submitted their written replies to the health department. The nurses maintained in their reply that they were serious about their duties, but the assistant medical superintendent (AMS) of the hospital was creating hurdles for them. As a result, they requested legal action against him. The health facility&rsquo;s nurses added that they had been accused of other baseless charges as well, including continuous absence from duty. Moreover, they said, written complaints had also been lodged against the AMS, while they had not been provided a copy of the show-cause notice and only found out about it via social media. 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Uzair Baloch denies murders in court</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254699/uzair-baloch-denies-murders-in-court-120</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254699/uzair-baloch-denies-murders-in-court-120#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 13 Jul 20 17:19:01 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Nasir Butt]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2254699</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[ATC declares Habib Jan Baloch, others wanted for Arshad Pappu murder]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[An anti-terrorism court (ATC) declared on Monday several associates of Lyari kingpin Uzair Baloch as wanted suspects in the case pertaining to the murder of gangster Arshad Pappu. Meanwhile, Uzair maintained his innocence in the court, denying that he had recorded any confessional statement.

The ATC was hearing 16 cases, including the Pappu murder case, against Uzair at Karachi Central Jail, where the notorious gangster was presented in court under strict security by the Rangers.

The Rangers prosecutor requested the court to include Uzair&#39;s confessional statement in the case.

The request came after a joint investigation team (JIT) report, made public last week, revealed that Uzair, whose father was murdered by Pappu, had joined the Rehman Dakait gang to avenge his father&#39;s death. &quot;In March 2013, Arshad Pappu was brutally killed by Uzair&#39;s gangsters, which made Uzair the undisputed criminal king of Lyari,&quot; the report added.

The report also stated that Uzair had confessed to direct or indirect involvement in 198 killings, motivated by ethnicity, politics or the Lyari gang war, as well as several other crimes.

The court asked Uzair if a copy of his statement could be made part of the case, upon which the accused responded that he had not recorded any confessional statement.

&quot;You have been accused of murdering Arshad alias Pappu. Do you accept the allegation and should we indict you for the crime?&quot; inquired the court.

&quot;I say this in the presence of the Almighty, I have not committed any murder and I am innocent,&quot; maintained Uzair.

The court stated that he had recorded the confessional statement before a magistrate under Section 164, adding that the statement bore his signature too.

However, the accused insisted he had not recorded any statement under the said section, claiming that he was tricked and the magistrate had made a false statement.

&quot;Tomorrow, you will deny the statements you gave in the ATC and the Sindh High Court. You will even say this trial never took place,&quot; remarked the judge.

The court declared Uzair&#39;s associate Habib Jan Baloch and others wanted in the Pappu murder case. The wanted men included known members of the Lyari gang war such as Zahid Ladla, Asif Mithal, Faisal Pathan, Ustad Taju, Shiraz Comrade and others who had been named in the JIT report as having killed Pappu and two others before burning their bodies and disposing of them in the gutter.

The police told the court that Habib, who recently made claims about Uzair&#39;s connections with Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, had evaded arrest by going overseas.

The court also asked the police to submit a report about the death of Baba Ladla, another gang leader who was killed in a police encounter, by July 25. It announced that it would issue an amended indictment for Uzair at the next hearing.

Dua Mangi kidnapping

Meanwhile, an ATC expressed annoyance and issued a show-cause notice to the investigation officer (IO) for his absence at a hearing of the Dua Mangi kidnapping case.

Due to the IO&#39;s absence, copies of the case could not be provided to the accused.

According to the police, Mangi had been kidnapped from Defence Housing Authority on November 30, 2019 and the kidnappers had used an Italian-registered number to demand ransom from her family.

They stated that Mangi&#39;s father had paid Rs2.5 million for her release, adding that the kidnappers had kept her chained up in an apartment in Rufi Beach Paradise.

Five accused, including Muzaffar alias Mozi, Zohaib Qureshi and Muhammad Tariq alias Shakeel, have been arrested in the case. They were allegedly also involved in kidnapping another girl, Bisma Saleem, in a high-profile incident last year.]]>
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			<title>Lyari residents protest against KE, KWSB</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254584/lyari-residents-protest-against-ke-kwsb</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254584/lyari-residents-protest-against-ke-kwsb#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 12 Jul 20 19:39:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2254584</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Scores of people had gathered at the protest where they highlighted the callous attitude of the KWSB and KE officials]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[With patience running out at continued power outages and the unavailability of water, residents of Lyari and Machar Colony staged a demonstration against K-Electric (KE) and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) on the Mauripur and Mirza Adam Khan Roads on Sunday.


Blocking the roads and halting traffic, the protesters announced that they would be demonstrating outside the offices of KE and KWSB from today (Monday).

Scores of people, including women and children, had gathered at the protest where they highlighted the callous attitude of the KWSB and KE officials. They claimed that despite receiving the citizens&#39; complaints, the utility providers had done nothing to resolve their issues.

The protesters stated that they received electricity for only two to three hours each day, during which time they could not fill their water tanks and consequently did not even have enough water to perform ablution.

This, coupled with the heat and the lockdown confining them to their houses, meant that they had to face a multitude of inconveniences, added some of the women present.

The police later dispersed the protesters by assuring them that power would be restored in their neighbourhoods within a few hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Uzair Baloch seeks transfer to central jail</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254473/uzair-baloch-seeks-transfer-to-central-jail</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254473/uzair-baloch-seeks-transfer-to-central-jail#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 12 Jul 20 05:17:39 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Ocrrespondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2254473</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[ATC issues notices to prosecution, respondents, allows Lyari gangster to meet family in courtroom]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[An anti-terrorism court (ATC) issued notices on Saturday to the prosecution and other parties over a plea seeking Lyari kingpin Uzair Baloch&#39;s transfer from Mitha Ram Hostel to Karachi Central Jail in a case pertaining to the killing of two Rangers officials.

Baloch, who was shifted to Mitha Ram Hostel last month, was brought to the court amid tight security. He was given permission to meet his family in the courtroom.

At the hearing, he filed a plea seeking his transfer from Mitha Ram Hostel, which has the status of a sub-jail and is run by the Rangers, to Karachi Central Jail.

Following this, the court issued notices to the public prosecutor and other parties over the plea.

Besides, Baloch filed another plea, moving the court to allow him to meet his family. He maintained that he had not met his family for a long while.

At this, the court granted him permission to meet his family inside the courtroom. Baloch was allowed to meet his wife, daughter and father-in-law for 25 minutes in the presence of police officials.

Later, the prosecution&#39;s witness sought an extension from the court to get his statement recorded.

Accepting his request, the court adjourned the hearing till the first week of August.

According to the police, Baloch had kidnapped two Rangers officials, Aijaz and Nasir, killed them and dumped their bodies in Mewa Shah Graveyard.

Baldia factory fire case

Besides, the court directed accused Zubair alias Charya&#39;s counsel to continue his final arguments at the next hearing of Baldia factory fire case.

Jail officials presented accused Rehman alias Bhola, the former town sector in-charge of Muttahida Qaumi Movement, and Zubair before ATC-7 during the hearing at Karachi Central Jail. Zubair&#39;s counsel presented final arguments before the court.

Directing him to continue the arguments at the next hearing, the court adjourned the hearing till July 18.

&nbsp;

Published in The Express Tribune, July 12th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>‘PPP gave Uzair Rs50m to convince him’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254451/ppp-gave-uzair-rs50m-to-convince-him</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254451/ppp-gave-uzair-rs50m-to-convince-him#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 11 Jul 20 20:07:25 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category><category><![CDATA[Karachi]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2254451</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Former party leader makes startling revelations about alleged contacts between Uzair and PPP]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had allegedly given Rs50 million to outlawed Peoples Amn Committee chief Uzair Baloch to convince the gangster who had reportedly been angry with the party over carrying out an operation in Lyari in 2012.

This was stated by the Lyari gang warfare kingpin&rsquo;s close aide and PPP former leader Habib Jan Baloch in a video released by Federal Minister for Shipping and Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi on social media.

Zaidi had uploaded edited parts of an interview of Habib in which he had made startling revelations about the alleged contacts between Uzair Baloch and the PPP.

On Friday, Zaidi had tweeted that he would soon release an &ldquo;explosive video&rdquo; which would &quot;expose former president Asif Ali Zardari and his gang.&rdquo;

&ldquo;Crime and politics have gone hand in hand. Mafia Don Asif Zardari and his henchman Qadir Patel exposed yet again by Habib Jan who was once in the middle of it all,&rdquo; Zaidi tweeted in the video showing Habib talking about Uzair and Zardari.

In the video, Habib claimed that soon after the 2012 Lyari operation, the PPP had re-established contact with Uzair who had been angry with the party over the action carried out in the area.

Habib said that the PPP gave Rs50 million cash to Uzair after which the gangster rejoined the party.

&ldquo;On the invitation of Uzair Baloch, then Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah went there [to Lyari], so did Sharmila Farooqi, so did Faryal [Talpur] sahiba. My office was also attacked and my brother was killed. According to Chaudhry Aslam, [former PPP interior minister] Rehman Malik was at the helm of the operation,&rdquo; Habib said.

He also alleged that the PPP would transfer police officials on the whims of Baloch.

&ldquo;This is true. IG Sindh&rsquo;s transfer was also done and the interior ministry used to stand at their [the gangster&rsquo;s] door in the form of Rehman Malik,&rdquo; Habib said.

He also revealed that Zardari held a meeting with Uzair in which PPP leader Qadir Patel was also present.

&ldquo;Zardari wanted his foster brother Owais Muzaffar &lsquo;Tappi&rsquo; to contest election from Lyari,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;One day &lsquo;Tappi&rsquo; came to Lyari along with former PPP leader Faisal Raza Abdi and Chaudhry Aslam accompanied by 50 cars. It was then that problems were created for Peoples Party in Lyari,&rdquo; he added.

When asked when the relations between Uzair and the PPP came to an end, Habib said &quot;when the government started getting into trouble.&quot;

Meanwhile, Rehman Malik on Saturday rejected the claims made by Habib Jan Baloch and termed them a &ldquo;pack of lies&rdquo;.

He directed his lawyer in London to issue a notice to Habib and a channel for running the &ldquo;fabricated&rdquo; news against him.

Malik&rsquo;s spokesperson stated that the former interior had never met Uzair Baloch in his life and Habib&rsquo;s claim about the PPP leader in the video was &ldquo;false and fabricated&rdquo;.

The spokesperson said that Malik, in his capacity as the interior minister, had initiated action against Uzair and after the approval from the then president Asif Zardari, he had issued directions to blacklist and impose restrictions on him.

Malik had announced the head money on Uzair while being the interior minister and several raids had been conducted to capture the gangster, whereas once Baloch managed to escape minutes before a raid was carried out at a farmhouse.

The spokesperson said that a record of the action taken against Uzair was available with the interior ministry.

According to Malik, Habib was angry with the PPP because he was not given the party ticket.

For this reason, he had joined Uzair Baloch and later left for the United Kingdom.

It was further stated said that Zardari had never extended any favour to Uzair and that a false propaganda had been launched against the former president by his political opponents.

A wave of allegations and counter allegations between the PTI and PPP continued after the joint investigation report on Uzair Baloch was released last week after months of wrangling.]]>
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			<title>‘Lyari gangster’ arrested</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254327/lyari-gangster-arrested</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254327/lyari-gangster-arrested#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 20 20:07:23 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2254327</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[‘Lyari gangster’ arrested]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[An alleged member of a Lyari gang, Shahid Cheena alias Shaho, was arrested by the Civil Lines Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) from Baldia Town on Friday. A pistol and grenade were confiscated from his possession. According to the CTD, Cheena had been a member of the Umar Kachi group and was a close aide of Kachi&rsquo;s, even being in charge of all of his affairs. They further stated that the suspect had murdered five people, including a political opponent, in separate incidents between 2008 and 2013. According to a notification, Cheena has been nominated in cases for several murders, attempted murders and illegal weapons. The CTD expects more confessions from him during interrogation. 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>'PTI using Uzair Baloch report to divert attention'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254281/pti-using-uzair-baloch-report-to-divert-attention</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254281/pti-using-uzair-baloch-report-to-divert-attention#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 20 18:24:19 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2254281</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PPP minister questions ruling party's silence on Baldia factory inferno JIT report]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[As the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) continue their verbal slugfest over the joint investigation team (JIT) report on Lyari gangster Uzair Baloch, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani accused the PTI on Friday of &quot;making an issue&quot; of a matter that was pertinent five years ago to divert attention from other problems, such as the coronavirus pandemic, petrol price hike and brewing wheat crisis.

Quoting Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Haider Zaidi, he said that the federal minister claimed that he received the JIT report, enclosed in an envelope, from an unidentified man on a motorcycle.

&quot;Zaidi needs to identify the motorcyclist,&quot; he said, claiming that the federal minister knew who the man was.

In a tit-for-tat response to PTI&#39;s allegation against the PPP on the matter, he said that the former was presenting its arguments on grounds of Baloch&#39;s confessions to scores of murders. If such was the case, he added, then PTI MPA Israrullah Gandapur&#39;s brother, too, had accused Kashmir Affairs Minister Ali Amin Gandapur of being involved in Israrullah&#39;s murder. &quot;Why is the PTI silent on that?&quot; he questioned.

Ghani noted that three JIT reports, on Baloch, Nisar Morai and the Baldia factory fire, had been released, but the PTI was silent on the Baldia factory inferno report. He claimed this was because the ruling party&#39;s allies were named in the report as culprits.

Alleging that the PTI, too, among other parties, had approached the Lyari kingpin to offer him party membership, he claimed that a committee comprising President Arif Alvi, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and Zaidi was formed for the purpose back in the day.

The education minister went on to say that members of the Peoples Amn Committee, led by Baloch, had participated in PTI&#39;s sit-ins, with one among them - Habib Jan, who was also named in the JIT report - even addressing a sit-in via telephone.

K-Electric

In response to a question regarding K-Electric (KE), the education minister said that the PTI used to accuse PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari of having shares in the Abraaj Group - KE&#39;s parent company - but now it was out in the open that Prime Minister Imran Khan was linked with the group&#39;s founder and CEO, Arif Naqvi.

Calling PTI&#39;s protest against KE &quot;a pretense,&quot; he maintained that it would not take any action against the Abraaj Group.

&quot;If the PTI is so concerned about the plight of Karachiites, then it should nationalise KE,&quot; he added.

Cleaning of nullahs

Earlier, addressing the press conference, Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah claimed the Sindh government had started cleaning nullahs ahead of the monsoon this year, but the coronavirus pandemic delayed the exercise.

Giving an update on the cleaning progress, he said that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) had cleaned all 38 major nullahs under its supervision and removed sludge from all choking points.

The local government minister further said that his department, the KMC and National Engineering Services Pakistan were working together to clean all of the city&#39;s drains.

Besides, district municipal corporations, municipal commissioners and deputy commissioners, too, had been instructed to collaborate for cleaning drains in their respective areas, he added.

The local government minister said that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had released additional funds for the purpose.]]>
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			<title>'No pangs for gangs in Lyari'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254135/no-pangs-for-gangs-in-lyari</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254135/no-pangs-for-gangs-in-lyari#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 20 20:42:57 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[sameer.mandhro]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2254135</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Once the bastion of Uzair Baloch, city’s oldest neighbourhood shudders as it recalls his 'reign of terror']]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Once, Lyari was known for its multi-ethnic, cultural harmony - until gangs began making inroads in one of Karachi&#39;s oldest areas. Since then, it has seen a parade of gangsters rise and fall: Rehman Dakait, Arshad Pappu, Baba Ladla - and Uzair Jan Baloch.

At the height of its gang wars, countless bodies piled up in Lyari. With the deaths of some gang leaders and the arrests of others, though, the violence calmed down in recent years. But now, Uzair is back in the spotlight.

As political parties push competing claims about the joint investigation team report on Uzair, made public by the Sindh government earlier this week, Lyari residents are wondering what it means for them. Uzair, after all, was Lyari&#39;s self-styled don - the gangster who had challenged the corridors of power and set up his own fiefdom in the restive neighbourhood.

But that ended when he was arrested in 2016. And today, Lyari&#39;s residents recall how Uzair, a signature Sindhi cap atop his smiling face, had brought a new reputation to the locality, turning it into the neighbourhood of gangsters, drug lords and killers.

&quot;Before, Lyari was known as the home of sportsmen. It was known as an abode of political workers. It was known as a place where brave, welcoming people lived,&quot; said Abu Bakr Baloch, a Lyari resident, bitterly.

But, he believed, at least the gangster would not be able to come back and take control of the area again. &quot;People are happy - he will never be released. Lyari is normal without Uzair.&quot;

In Abu Bakr&#39;s eyes, the bad name brought to the neighbourhood by Uzair and his ilk had been devastating for those who dwelt there. Given the area&#39;s repute, he explained, few of those with an address in Lyari were able to get a decent job. 

&quot;And not all residents were part of the Peoples Amn Committee (PAC), so it was difficult for them to survive,&quot; he added, referring to the Pakistan Peoples Party-affiliated organisation headed by Uzair, initially formed by Rehman Dakait for social work but later declared a banned outfit.

For Muhammad Iqbal, another resident of the area, it was the PAC and the gangs that ruined Lyari. &quot;This locality produced philanthropists, sportsmen, politicians and journalists. It did not just produce Uzair or Baba Ladla,&quot; he pointed out.

Asked about the local response to the revelations of the JIT report, which sheds light on scores of murders carried out by Uzair, resident Kashif Hussain said that people were just glad there was little chance of him making his way back there. &quot;If he returned, he would bring a new wave of terror with him,&quot; he remarked. 

&quot;Uzair was only a &#39;hero&#39; when his men had guns in their hands. He was not a hero because of his achievements, but only because of his gang,&quot; he explained, adding that countless families had left Lyari for good during his reign of terror. &quot;Even business activities shifted away from here.&quot;

However, another resident, Abdul Mannan, had a different view of the man. &quot;He did not create the gangs, they were there even before he was born,&quot; he pointed out. &quot;In fact, he built a new image of Lyari, which had been ignored by politicians and policy-makers. At least two universities were built here and several development projects initiated when he was in power.&quot;

The &#39;real&#39; culprits?

Despite Uzair&#39;s confessions for an endless list of crimes, some from Lyari, who watched his rise to power as well as his downfall, insisted that the &#39;real&#39; culprits had still not been traced. In their view, he and his gang - while by no means innocent - had been used for political gains.

&quot;Much of his gang is still alive and at large, with strong connections within Lyari and other parts of the city,&quot; stated Shakeel Baloch, who lives in the area, reiterating that the residents who had been considered Uzair&#39;s supporters were pleased he would not return.

&quot;And what about the politicians who openly supported Uzair at the time?&quot; he questioned. &quot;All the political parties wanted him to join them back then, but no one will own him now,&quot; he laughed.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>SHC adjourns JIT hearing</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254134/shc-adjourns-jit-hearing</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2254134/shc-adjourns-jit-hearing#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 20 20:42:20 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2254134</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PTI minister Ali Zaidi’s lawyer points out Sindh govt plea is being heard in SC]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Sindh High Court (SHC) indefinitely adjourned on Thursday the hearing of a contempt of court petition against the Sindh chief secretary and others for failing to make public the joint investigation team (JIT) reports about Lyari gangster Uzair Baloch, the Baldia factory fire and former Fishermen Cooperative Society chairperson Nisar Morai.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Abdul Malik Gaddi and Justice Kausar Sultana Hussain, were told by the counsel of the petitioner, Ali Zaidi, that the Sindh government&rsquo;s petition against the SHC decision was being heard in the Supreme Court.

He added that the hearing on Zaidi&rsquo;s petition should be adjourned until the apex court announced a verdict.

Meanwhile, the Sindh additional advocate general pointed out that the provincial government had released all three JIT reports, making Zaidi&rsquo;s request pointless. At this, the court remarked that it was aware of the development. &ldquo;We watch them fight on TV all day long.&rdquo; 

Lyari building collapse

The bench also sought a report from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and other parties on a petition seeking the dismissal of a case about the 26 deaths in the Lyari building collapse in June.

The counsel of the petitioners, the building shareholders, claimed they had informed SBCA of the building&rsquo;s condition and though it was the latter&rsquo;s job to vacate it, the police had filed a case against the building owners instead.

Justice Gaddi expressed displeasure with the investigation officer (IO) for failing to present a challan even after a month.

The IO said it was delayed due to the SBCA&rsquo;s own investigations. &ldquo;Do you want the court to dismiss this important case?&rdquo; asked the judge.

The court sought a report from SBCA and other parties on August 4.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>PPP’s JIT report is ‘fake’, claims PTI leader</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2253976/ppps-jit-report-is-fake-claims-pti-leader</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2253976/ppps-jit-report-is-fake-claims-pti-leader#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 20 19:52:29 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2253976</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Haleem Adil Shaikh says Ali Zaidi has real report about Uzair Baloch and his connections]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[In another addition to the slew of allegations that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have been levelling against each other, PTI leader Haleem Adil Shaikh claimed on Wednesday that the JIT report on Lyari gang war leader Uzair Baloch released by the PPP-led Sindh government was fake.

&quot;It is PTI&#39;s Ali Zaidi who has the real JIT report, bearing the signatures of two police officials,&quot; he claimed during a press conference, accusing the PPP of &quot;fooling the public for the past five days,&quot;

Shaikh went on to say that Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab would read to the public any paper handed over to him, implying that details about the report revealed by Wahab to the public were untrue.

&quot;Now the Supreme Court will decide which of the reports is real and the real face of those who changed [facts in] the JIT report will be exposed soon,&quot; he remarked.

Further raising questions over the PPP being committed to taking criminals to tasks, he asked, &quot;Has any action been taken against police officers who assisted Baloch? Have the plots occupied by Baloch been vacated? What action has been taken against people who laundered money for Baloch? Why did PPP leaders Faryal Talpur and Qaim Ali Shah use to meet Baloch?&quot; 

Speaking on the matter of the Baldia factory fire tragedy, the PTI MPA termed the event &quot;the worst manifestation of criminal politics in Karachi.&quot;

&quot;The victims are awaiting justice even eight years after the incident,&quot; he said, alleging that the PPP and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London were behind the arson.

He claimed that the FIR for the fire was erroneous and called for taking action against elements behind the registration of the faulty FIR. 

On power cuts and rain

Moving to the power crisis gripping Karachi, he said that the PPP government, under the leadership of PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, had handed over the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation - now K-Electric (KE) - to The Abraaj Group in 2009, and while the conglomerate was to keep control of the utility until 2023, Karachiites would continue to pay the price of the &quot;shoddy&quot; deal between the two parties.

Shaikh accused KE of &quot;extorting money from citizens&quot; and said that the PTI would make sure that KE owners were held accountable and not allowed to flee. 

Quoting Federal Energy Minister Omar Ayub, he said that KE had to invest $2 billion in the city&#39;s electricity infrastructure, but it had not done so.

Holding the &quot;corrupt&quot; PPP responsible from Karachiites being troubled due to rain, he said that the World Bank had given the Sindh government funds for cleaning drains but no one knew where the money was spent.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9th, 2020]]>
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			<title>Woman, boy injured in balcony collapse</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2253880/woman-boy-injured-in-balcony-collapse</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2253880/woman-boy-injured-in-balcony-collapse#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 07 Jul 20 22:11:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category><category><![CDATA[Karachi]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2253880</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Balcony on 2nd floor caved]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A woman and a boy were injured as two balconies of a double-storey dilapidated building near Daryabad, Lyari caved in following heavy rain on Monday. According to area residents, first a balcony on the building&rsquo;s second floor caved and under its impact, the one below it on the first floor also collapsed. The injured were shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital. Meanwhile, Chhipa workers rescued over two dozen people trapped inside the building after the incident. Aggrieved area locals said that none of the government officials or elected representatives had visited the site following the incident while numerous families were forced to stay under the open sky after vacating the building. However, some of its residents had shifted to their relatives&rsquo; houses, they said. 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>ATC indicts Uzair Baloch in murder, kidnapping case</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2253867/atc-indicts-uzair-baloch-in-murder-kidnapping-case</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2253867/atc-indicts-uzair-baloch-in-murder-kidnapping-case#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 07 Jul 20 22:02:29 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category><category><![CDATA[Karachi]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2253867</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Lyari gangster was charged with abducting and killing a trader]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) indicted on Tuesday Lyari gangwar leader Uzair Baloch in a case pertaining to the kidnapping and murder of a trader.

An ATC was hearing the case at Karachi Central Jail, where the accused was presented before the court. The judge read the indictment aloud, which stated that Baloch was accused of kidnapping and murdering a trader named Abdul Samad. The indictment read that Baloch kidnapped Samad and demanded Rs1 million in ransom, but killed him after taking Rs70,000 from his family.

The court asked Baloch if he had confessed to the crime, at which the accused shook his head. It then issued notices to the investigation officer and witnesses, directing that witnesses be presented before the court at the next hearing.

According to police, Baloch&rsquo;s brother Zubair Baloch and others were also arrested in the case and had been indicted earlier.

Nine Zero raid case

A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) directed the counsels on Tuesday to continue the cross examination of the accused&rsquo;s statement in the case pertaining to arrests of terrorists and discovery of weapons from Muttahida Qaumi Movement&rsquo;s (MQM) head office.

The counsels for the accused presented the CCTV footage of the arrests, which was played in the court room.

Defence lawyer Muhammad Jivani maintained that the CCTV footage proved that the claim of the accuseds being arrested from the MQM head office was false.

The prosecutor, however, insisted that the accused were arrested from Nine Zero.

At this, Jivani contested that the footage clearly showed that Rangers officials arrested one of the accused, Nadir Shah, from his house.

Another accused, Faisal alias Mota, also maintained before the court that he was arrested from his house. 

The court directed the counsels to continue the cross-examination of the accused&rsquo;s statement at the next hearing on July 14.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Karachi Commissioner reviews Lyari uplift projects</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2253511/commissioner-reviews-lyari-uplift-projects</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2253511/commissioner-reviews-lyari-uplift-projects#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 05 Jul 20 19:04:52 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category><category><![CDATA[Karachi]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2253511</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Also discusses maintenance of sewerage pumping stations in the neighbourhood]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Reviewing the progress of various projects, including football grounds, schools and a street library, in Lyari, Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani discussed on Sunday the arrangements for cleaning rainwater drains ahead of expected downpours in the city.


He also discussed the maintenance of sewerage pumping stations in the neighbourhood.

Besides, he visited a newly constructed football ground, different schools and a street library being constructed by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation at Baloch Chowk.

While visiting the football ground, he said, &quot;Lyari has proved its mettle in football and is set to embark on another prosperous journey in the field of sports with a football ground meeting international standards being made available to its youngsters.&quot; He expressed his wish to be invited to the ground&#39;s opening ceremony.

Visiting the street library, he expressed the hope that the initiative would produce positive results.

Later, South district municipal corporation chairperson Malik Muhammad Fayyaz Awan and Union Council-12 chairperson Habib Hassan accompanied him to a boxing club, a model school and another football ground, being constructed in collaboration with the Coach Emad Foundation in Sarbazi Muhalla.

The commissioner also visited Mirza Adam Khan Road. While appreciating the construction and plantation along its length, the commissioner directed relevant authorities to take measures for ending illegal parking near it.

He assured South DM chairperson of all possible support for Lyari&#39;s uplift.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>No end in sight for Lyari residents’ plight</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2246434/no-end-sight-lyari-residents-plight</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2246434/no-end-sight-lyari-residents-plight#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 20 Jun 20 08:19:34 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[sameer.mandhro]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2246434</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Homelessness plagues locality as authorities evacuate multiple ‘unsafe’ buildings]]>
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				<![CDATA[The recent collapse of a five-storey building in Lyari's Khokhar Kitchen Wali street, in the limits of Union Council 3, not only claimed 22 lives but also left many without a roof over their heads.

Residents of at least 15 buildings in the locality, including Fareed Mansion, Behram Siddiqui, Noor Mansion and Moosa Arcade, have been asked to move out by the relevant authorities, who have reportedly declared the structures unsafe for habitation.

Challenging this claim, however, Lyari assistant commissioner (AC) Abdul Karim Memon said that only six buildings had been declared unsafe. He added that just a few displaced families were in need for immediate alternative accommodation and makeshift housing arrangements were made for them.

The evacuation notices were issued en masse following the collapse of the ill-fated building, the name of which only a few in the neighbourhood are able to recall now.

What they clearly remember, though, is that the building's structure only weakened after law enforcement agencies dug its basement in search of weapons.

"The building was neither too old nor so weak that it would collapse suddenly," an area resident, who asked not to be named, told The Express Tribune.

"Every other building here is in the same condition. Would you [the government] vacate all of them?" added Abdul Samad Memon, another resident of the locality.

Distressed by the displacement, Mrs Hameed, 46, said she yearned to return to her home in the Ghausia trust building.

"I had been in that apartment for the past 26 years," she cried. "Where should I go now?" she wailed, standing amid a dozen men by the roadside.

Sharing her ordeal, another area resident, Shakeel Ahmed lamented that no alternative accommodation had been arranged for the inhabitants of the vacated buildings. He also complained that electricity and water, suspended in the locality following the collapse, had not been restored nearly two weeks after the tragedy, adding to the misery for many families.

"You [the government] have been constantly telling people to stay home and here, you tell us leave and go just anywhere," said Saleh Muhammad, irate at the authorities' lack of concern. "It is the state's responsibility to look after victims," he stressed, adding that the poor were made to suffer in all situations.

According to Muhammad Javed, the chairperson of the committee constituted on the matter, most residents did not own their apartments, and so their displacement had not sparked much outcry.

In the aftermath

Recalling the tragedy, Abdul Rehman, who once lived in the collapsed building said that his family had felt a tremor the morning of the incident.

"We were quick to leave and moved to Baldia Town," he said, adding that though they had returned to collect their belongings, they left without taking anything. "The building collapsed minutes after we left."

Claiming the government had been completely negligent towards the displaced families' plight, Javed assured that the committee would provide all possible assistance in rebuilding the collapsed structure.

According to AC Karim, besides the cash and jewellery recovered from the rubble, an additional Rs1.75 million was collected after the sale of the debris.

However, he added, the Sindh government had not announced any compensation for the victims yet.

A resident of the building, Dawood is convinced they won't ever receive compensation. "This incident was not the first of its kind," he pointed out, implying that victims of previous tragedies, too, had been left out in the cold. Holding the authorities responsible, he called for them to identify the culprits and take them to task.

Meanwhile, many residents expressed dissatisfaction with government measures, saying that illegal construction was rife despite other recent building collapses.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>ATC issues production orders for Uzair Baloch</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2243457/atc-issues-production-orders-uzair-baloch</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2243457/atc-issues-production-orders-uzair-baloch#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 20 08:04:06 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2243457</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Baloch is booked in over 50 cases pertaining to murder, terrorism, extortion, kidnapping and other heinous crimes]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[An anti-terrorism court (ATC) issued on Monday the production orders of notorious Lyari gang war leader Uzair Baloch in a case about the murders of  Sindh Rangers officials.

The ATC was hearing the case at Karachi Central Jail. According to a report presented by the jail superintendent, the Sindh government had declared it a security risk to keep Baloch at the Karachi Central Jail. Therefore, it further stated, he would be held at the sub-jail at Mitha Ram Hostel, run by the Rangers, as per the directives of the Sindh Home Department. Meanwhile, his security detail has been handed over to the Rangers, who would ensure his presence before the court at the next hearing. Subsequently, the ATC issued orders for Baloch to be produced at the next hearing.

Baloch is booked in over 50 cases pertaining to murder, terrorism, extortion, kidnapping and other heinous crimes.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 16th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Death toll reaches 22 in Lyari building collapse</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2241228/death-toll-reaches-22-lyari-building-collapse</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2241228/death-toll-reaches-22-lyari-building-collapse#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 20 10:26:54 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2241228</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[According to Sindh Ranges, all debris has been cleared from the location]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The death toll from Lyari’s Khadda Market apartment building collapse reached 22 on Friday whereas six injured had been recovered.

According to Sindh Ranges, all debris has been cleared from the location.

"All the items found in the rubble of the building were handed over to the civil administration on the spot," Sindh Rangers said.
The items recovered from the site included cash, cell phones, electronic items, gold and artificial jewellery and other valuables.

The total worth of the goods recovered from the site is reported to be more than Rs0.2 million.

[tvideo url="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/WmNBCKqT-111BQthM.html"]

Earlier, the bodies were shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital for medico-legal formalities.

The deceased were identified as 50-year-old Shehnaz, 20-year-old Shehzad, 23-year-old Saeed, 32-year-old Memoona, 52-year-old Tofeeq and 30-year-old Faisal, 25-year-old Bihar, 60-year-old Kaleem, 30-year-old Saleem and 28-year-old Shaukat. The body of one woman could not be identified until the filing of this report.

Risky structures

The building had reportedly been declared dangerous by the SBCA’s technical team after an inspection survey on March 16. The SBCA had also issued a notice to the residents on March 18, directing them to vacate the building within 15 days.

The authority has declared at least 250 structures in the city ‘dangerous,’ with most of them located in the South district.

According to sources, the SBCA had also issued letters to the relevant agencies to cut off the utility connections when it wasn’t vacated, but in vain.]]>
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			<title>Lyari building collapse death toll rises to 19</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2239304/lyari-building-collapse-death-toll-rises-19</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2239304/lyari-building-collapse-death-toll-rises-19#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 20 20:02:12 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2239304</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Search operation continues as several remain underneath rubble of collapsed building]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The death toll from the building apartment building collapse in Lyari’s Khadda Market reached 19 on Tuesday.

Rescue operations continued for a second day with 13 more deceased - including six members of one family - pulled out of the rubble.

The bodies were shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital for medico-legal formalities. The deceased were identified as 50-year-old Shehnaz, 20-year-old Shehzad, 23-year-old Saeed, 32-year-old Memoona, 52-year-old Tofeeq and 30-year-old Faisal, 25-year-old Bihar, 60-year-old Kaleem, 30-year-old Saleem and 28-year-old Shaukat. The body of one woman could not be identified until the filing of this report.

The funeral rites of the six deceased of one family were held after Asr prayers on Tuesday and the burial took place in Gulbai Cemetery. The family had lived on the first floor of the five-storey building, and rescue workers said that the search for one missing member of the family was underway.

Rescue operation

Rescue efforts continued late into the night, with the help of officials from Pakistan Army’s engineering corps. Army officials also used sniffer dogs to try to locate those trapped under the debris, while the police and Rangers officials cordoned off the congested area.

The rubble is being discarded at the dumping site, with officials proceeding cautiously so as to not harm any of the affectees who remain to be found.

Earlier in the day, Ranger director general (DG) in Sindh also visited the site of the incident and reviewed rescue efforts. On his directions, Rangers teams continued to assist the local administration in carrying out the rescue work.

Speaking on the occasion, the Rangers DG said that those affected by the collapse had their complete support during these hard times and lauded the law enforcement personnel and rescue workers for their all-out efforts to help the victims.

Meanwhile, residents of the collapsed building as well as others from surrounding apartments, which have been vacated, told The Express Tribune that there were several more persons under the rubble, including a family of eight.

Raheema, a resident of the collapsed apartment building, said that she had moved in only four months ago along with her eight children. She said that the notice to vacate the building had been issued before Ramazan but the owner of the building had assured residents that there was nothing to worry about.

According to Raheema, the building jolted twice and some of the residents had fled their residences just seconds before it caved in. All of their belongings were lost as the building collapsed and she and her family have nowhere to go now, she lamented. Raheema bemoaned that it has been two days now and no help has come their way.

The affected residents have been asking the authorities to help them and provide alternative accommodation.

Risky structures

The building had reportedly been declared dangerous by the SBCA’s technical team after an inspection survey on March 16. The SBCA had also issued a notice to the residents on March 18, directing them to vacate the building within 15 days.

The authority has declared at least 250 structures in the city ‘dangerous,’ with most of them located in the South district.

According to sources, the SBCA had also issued letters to the relevant agencies to cut off the utility connections when it wasn’t vacated, but in vain.]]>
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			<title>Death toll of Lyari building tragedy rises to six</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2238607/death-toll-lyari-building-tragedy-rises-six</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2238607/death-toll-lyari-building-tragedy-rises-six#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 20 19:42:41 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2238607</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Rescue operations continue, UC official claims 54 people missing]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The death toll from the apartment building collapse in Lyari rose to six on Monday after the bodies of five more residents, including two women, were retrieved from the rubble. Rescue operations continued, with fears that several more people were trapped in the debris.

The five-storey building, reportedly comprising 40 apartments, had collapsed in Lyari's densely populated Khadda Market area on Sunday night. While many residents vacated the building after the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) issued a notice deeming the structure 'unsafe' and after a crack appeared in the building earlier in the day, several remained inside at the time of the incident.

According to Lyari SP Altaf Hussain, six bodies had been retrieved by rescue personnel by Monday night, while their bodies were shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi.

Edhi Foundation officials stated that five of the deceased had been identified as Salma, 52, Jameela, 40, Sheeraz, 24, Noor Muhammad alias Babu, 50, and Faheem, 35. The body of another woman could not immediately be identified.

Union Council-4 vice chairperson Mehmood Hashim claimed that according to information collected from relatives of building residents, around 194 individuals resided at the building, of whom 54 were said to be missing. He added that the rescue operations were proceeding cautiously because they were trying to pull out those trapped under the rubble alive, without harming them further.

"There are many buildings in Lyari that are crumbling and warning letters have also been put up on them, telling the residents to empty them," he stated. "But the issue the SBCA faces in vacating the building is this: where would the residents be accommodated after that?"

Five-storey building collapses in Karachi

Rescue work continued all day on Monday and into the night, with the help of officials from Pakistan Army's engineering corps. Army officials also used sniffer dogs to try to locate those trapped under the debris, while the police and Rangers officials cordoned off the congested area.

Declared dangerous

The building had reportedly been declared dangerous by the SBCA's technical team after an inspection survey on March 16. The SBCA had also issued a notice to the residents on March 18, directing them to vacate the building within 15 days.

The authority has declared at least 250 structures in the city 'dangerous,' with most of them located in the South district.

According to sources, the SBCA had also issued letters to the relevant agencies to cut off the utility connections when it wasn't vacated, but in vain.

Meanwhile, Sindh Information, Housing and Town Planning Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said that there were over 300 buildings in the city that were old and extremely dilapidated, but their occupants had refused to leave despite being given notices. However, he added, talks were underway with these residents.

Visiting Khadda Market, Shah told media personnel that legislation was also being enacted to assure the residents of such buildings that they would be provided alternative accommodation in such circumstances. "The only purpose of these notices is to protect lives," he pointed out.

Promising a thorough investigation into the tragedy, he further maintained that action would be taken if any negligence on the part of SBCA officials was behind it, adding that these officials had already been warned they would be held responsible for any illegal construction in their jurisdictions.

According to the minister, the Sindh government has already approved separate courts for the SBCA, while the Supreme Court had been approached to appoint personnel for these courts.

Separately, Karachi mayor Wasim Akhtar stated that it was the Sindh government's responsibility to ensure the evacuation of precarious buildings in the city.

"The provincial government has a list of all such buildings in Karachi and it should take action and ensure they are vacated to save valuable lives," he said. "Until the relevant authorities take effective measures, such buildings will keep collapsing and people will keep dying."]]>
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			<title>Five-story building collapses in Lyari</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2237792/five-story-building-collapses-lyari</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2237792/five-story-building-collapses-lyari#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 20 06:27:12 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2237792</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Panic and chaos gripped the area after the building collapsed]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[At least one person died and several others were injured as a five-storey building, comprising 40 apartments, collapsed in one of Lyari’s densely populated neigbourhoods on Sunday.

On being informed of the tragic incident, law enforcement personnel, fire fighters and rescue teams reached the spot and began relief operations. Area locals also reached the spot and participated in rescue work. However, Rangers and police later cordoned off the area and dispersed the crowd.

According to rescue workers, panic and chaos gripped the area after the building collapsed and they faced difficulty in carrying out relief work due to narrow and congested streets being crowded by people, as well as electricity suspension. They said that the machinery required to clear the debris, too, couldn’t easily be brought to the site of the incident due to the locality’s narrow streets. However, they some how managed to brought it to the site and began rescue work.

Flouting rules: Sindh govt appoints Nisar Khuhro as pro-chancellor of public varsities

A woman’s body had been recovered from the rubble till the filing of this report. The body was shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil hospital. Besides, four injured in the incident, identified as Shama, 40, Shahzad, 35, Shahbaz, 9, and Fayyaz, 30, who is a policeman, were shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital.

Residents of nearby buildings told The Express Tribune that the building was crumbling and was declared unsafe by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA). While most of the families inhabiting it had vacated the building, few remained, they said.

Reliving the dreadful moment, area locals said that dust blanketed the area as soon as the building collapsed and cries of the victims resounded in the air.

According to SP Lyari Altaf Hussain, the building was vacated after the SBCA issued a notice regarding the structure being unsafe. “Moreover, a crack had appeared in the building, said to be around 35 to 40 years old, in the morning,” he said, talking to The Express Tribune.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah issued directives for launching an investigation into the incident, instructing that all possible efforts should be made to rescue those stuck in the rubble. He also sought a report on the matter after the completion of rescue operation.

Sindh governor Imran Ismail, taking notice of the incident, too, has sought a report of the incident from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and said that immediate measures were to be taken to rescue people stuck in the rubble.

“People are losing lives due to SBCA’s inefficiency,” he said, holding all SBCA officials responsible for the incident. Pointing out that it was SBCA’s responsibility to identify unsafe structure and get them vacated, the governor alleged SBCA officials of “allowing illegal construction in the city.”

Death toll reaches 27 in Lyari building collapse

Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah called for the provision of assistance to rescue workers from district administration officials, as well as all medical facilities to the injured. He said that there was no electricity in the area, posing difficulties in rescue operations, however, search lights had been provided to rescue personnel for their aid.

Karachi mayor Wasim Akhtar, expressing concern over the unfortunate incident, said that rescue teams and fire department personnel should make all-out efforts to save as many lives as possible. He also called for making immediate arrangements to ensure proper lighting at the site of the incident, so as to help with the rescue operation.

He extended condolences to the bereaved family.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 8th, 2020.

 

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			<title>Five-storey building collapses in Karachi</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2237656/least-one-dead-several-injured-five-storey-residential-building-collapses-karachi</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2237656/least-one-dead-several-injured-five-storey-residential-building-collapses-karachi#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 20 17:12:17 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2237656</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[At least one dead and several others injured]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[[tvideo url="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/4WwTV61I-111BQthM.html"]

At least one person died and several others were injured as a five-storey building, comprising 40 apartments, collapsed in one of Lyari’s densely populated neighbourhoods on Sunday.

On being informed of the tragic incident, law enforcement personnel, fire fighters and rescue teams reached the spot and began relief operations. Area locals also reached the spot and participated in rescue work. However, Rangers and police later cordoned off the area and dispersed the crowd.



According to rescue workers, panic and chaos gripped the area after the building collapsed and they faced difficulty in carrying out relief work due to narrow and congested streets being crowded by people, as well as electricity suspension. They said that the machinery required to clear the debris, too, couldn’t easily be brought to the site of the incident due to the locality’s narrow streets. However, they some how managed to brought it to the site and began rescue work.

A woman’s body had been recovered from the rubble till the filing of this report. The body was shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil hospital. Besides, four injured in the incident, identified as Shama, 40, Shahzad, 35, Shahbaz, 9, and Fayyaz, 30, who is a policeman, were shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital.

[caption id="attachment_2237766" align="alignnone" width="640"] Rescue teams faced difficulties in relief operations due to narrow and congested streets. PHOTO: EXPRESS[/caption]

Reliving the dreadful moment, area locals said that dust blanketed the area as soon as the building collapsed and cries of the victims resounded in the air.



[caption id="attachment_2237737" align="alignnone" width="625"] Rescue teams and law enforcement agencies carried out relief and rescue operations at the site of the incident. PHOTO: EXPRESS[/caption]

According to SP Lyari Altaf Hussain, the building was vacated after the SBCA issued a notice regarding the structure being unsafe. “Moreover, a crack had appeared in the building, said to be around 35 to 40 years old, in the morning,” he said, talking to The Express Tribune.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah issued directives for launching an investigation into the incident, instructing that all possible efforts should be made to rescue those stuck in the rubble. He also sought a report on the matter after the completion of rescue operation.

[caption id="attachment_2237781" align="alignnone" width="640"] Area locals say dust blanketed the area as soon as the building collapsed and cries of the victims resounded in the air. PHOTO: EXPRESS[/caption]

Sindh governor Imran Ismail, taking notice of the incident, too, has sought a report of the incident from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and said that immediate measures were to be taken to rescue people stuck in the rubble.

“People are losing lives due to SBCA’s inefficiency,” he said, holding all SBCA officials responsible for the incident. Pointing out that it was SBCA’s responsibility to identify unsafe structure and get them vacated, the governor alleged SBCA officials of “allowing illegal construction in the city.”

[caption id="attachment_2237738" align="alignnone" width="625"] Several people are feared to be struck under the debris of the building. PHOTO: EXPRESS[/caption]

Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah called for the provision of assistance to rescue workers from district administration officials, as well as all medical facilities to the injured. He said that there was no electricity in the area, posing difficulties in rescue operations, however, search lights had been provided to rescue personnel for their aid.

[caption id="attachment_2237797" align="alignnone" width="640"] Machinery required to clear the debris, too, couldn’t easily be brought to the site of the incident due to the locality’s narrow streets. PHOTO: EXPRESS[/caption]

Karachi mayor Wasim Akhtar, expressing concern over the unfortunate incident, said that rescue teams and fire department personnel should make all-out efforts to save as many lives as possible. He also called for making immediate arrangements to ensure proper lighting at the site of the incident, so as to help with the rescue operation.

He extended condolences to the bereaved family.]]>
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			<title>In Lyari, life takes a turn back to normal</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2225128/lyari-life-takes-turn-back-normal</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2225128/lyari-life-takes-turn-back-normal#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 20 May 20 00:35:07 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[sameer.mandhro]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2225128</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Dismissing Covid-19, residents welcome the Supreme Court's decision to reopen shops]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[A day after the Supreme Court (SC) ordered the reopening of shops across the country, Lyari - one of the neighbourhoods that had seen high incidence of coronavirus cases - appeared to have returned to life as normal.

Unhappy with the imposition of the lockdown by the Sindh government, the residents of Lyari welcomed the apex court's decision with gusto, flinging all precautions to the side.

Shutters were pulled up in every shop and market in the locality on Tuesday, while few of those visiting them bothered with face masks. Shopkeepers, too, did not deem it necessary to ask customers to observe social distancing, unafraid of any consequences for violating the standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Praising the SC's decision, resident Muhammad Ashraf explained that the people of Lyari would not take the guidelines given by the Sindh government seriously.

"We do not trust our institutions. The police mean being forced to give bhatta [protection money], while everyone knows what the healthcare system is like in our province," he asserted. "The SC has taken the right decision and is actually speaking about the issues of the poor people," he insisted. "Yes, the virus is here but it is not because of us citizens, it's because of the government's wrong policies."

Dawood Adam, who lives in Kalri, concurred, adding that the apex court's decision had shed light on the effects of the virus. "It is not the virus that is killing the poor but this lockdown," he claimed, contending that the Sindh government's 'double standards' had made life miserable for them.

"They closed the mosques, but allowed processions to take place. They closed the shops of poor people, but the factories were allowed to operate. I think the government itself is confused," he proclaimed, pointing out that instead of following its own SOPs, the Sindh government kept issuing new guidelines.

In the eyes of Abdul Ghani, too, the apex court made the right decision. "The virus is not as dangerous as we were initially told," said the Agra Taj resident, adding that many citizens who had come to Karachi in search of an income could not afford to remain at home without working.

"This is enough. It's the government failure that it could not limit the spread of the virus," he insisted, adding that though the people had been inspired by the steps taken by the provincial government at first, it had been unable to perform well.

From Nayabad to Bakra Pirri, from Lea Market to Cheel Chowk, people took to the streets in droves. Crowds turned out of their houses in densely populated areas.

And as evening fell, youngsters kicked footballs around or set up makeshift cricket pitches on the main roads and the smaller arteries.

"It is now the same Ramazan as we had last year," beamed Abdul Rahim Baloch, a resident of Cheel Chowk. "The lockdown was only for a few weeks, then it turned into a drama. What good is a lockdown if the virus still keeps spreading?"

His friend, standing next to him, nodded in agreement, adding that the government should focus on hospitals rather than confining people to their homes for no reason. "The virus doesn't exist. It is just a drama created by the government." 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Athletes stop play to contain Covid-19 in Lyari</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2213265/athletes-stop-play-contain-covid-19-lyari</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2213265/athletes-stop-play-contain-covid-19-lyari#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 03 May 20 16:33:27 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[sameer.mandhro]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Join hands with local govt to raise awareness about pandemic precautions]]>
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				<![CDATA[More than 50 football clubs of Lyari, as well as members of the locality's community centres, have joined hands with the district administration in the fight against the coronavirus and containing its spread in the old city neighbourhood.

The initiative came in the wake of Lyari residents continuing to flout lockdown instructions and paying little heed to officials' requests to stay home.

Speaking with regards to this two-pronged strategy adopted by the district administration to curb the virus' spread in Lyari, South deputy commissioner Irshad Ahmed Sodhar said that sportspersons would encourage youngsters to maintain social distancing and pandemic guidelines, while jamaat khana [community centre] members would convince the elders.

"We have adopted this multi-pronged strategy to keep people safe from the virus," he added.

[caption id="attachment_2213269" align="alignnone" width="625"] More than 50 football clubs of Lyari, as well as members of the locality's community centres, have joined hands with the district administration in the fight against the coronavirus. PHOTO: EXPRESS[/caption]

Besides, the district administration has set up over two dozen portable washing drums at different spots to help people understand the importance of maintaining hygiene.

In a meeting held in this regard on Saturday, representatives of the football clubs assured district administration officials of their complete support, also agreeing not to hold any night matches during Ramazan this year, as has been a tradition in the past.

Liverpool football legend Ian Rush visits Lyari

"We want to play matches after the lockdown [is lifted]," Muhammad Ishaq - a footballer from Lyari who, along with his teammates, has been actively trying to convince people to stay home through video messages - told The Express Tribune. "We need to be healthy to play football. If we are ailing, we wouldn't be able to play well."

Referring to his appeals of staying home, which were being circulated among the residents of Lyari, Ishaq said he wanted to convey similar messages to the residents of other areas as well.

Appreciating the initiative, Salman Khatri, a resident of Agra Taj Colony, noted that local sportspersons were also involved in community awareness drives being conducted in the neighbourhood.

Emphasising the importance of involving the local community in stemming the virus spread, Khatri opined that the government should have taken the step earlier. "Without the involvement of people from the local community, Lyari's people won't pay much heed to the government's requests and instructions," he elaborated. "The locals will better be able to convince people [to observe precautions, as] otherwise it is tricky to deal with [the resident of] Lyari. Here, people listen only to their own people, not the government."

Brazilian coach awestruck by football talent in Lyari

Khatri advised that not just footballers, but other sportspersons, such as cyclists, boxers and cricketers, also be made a part of the fight against the coronavirus.

The sharp spread of the contagion in the locality has, by and large, done little to move the people of Lyari towards being more mindful of precautionary measures. Rather, they complain that patrolling by law enforcement personnel has increased in the area and that they are being forced to stay inside. The residents also complain of shops being forcible closed.

"Fear prevails in the neighbourhood but people continue to stay outdoors, which is dangerous for everyone," lamented Khatri.]]>
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			<title>Lyari sinking in pandemic crisis as residents disregard lockdown</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2209145/lyari-sinking-pandemic-crisis-residents-disregard-lockdown</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2209145/lyari-sinking-pandemic-crisis-residents-disregard-lockdown#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 20 15:50:12 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[sameer.mandhro]]>
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				<![CDATA[An infected person left home to pray at a mosque Monday night, was later forcibly shifted to isolation centre]]>
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				<![CDATA[That the Covid-19 headcount continues to mount in Lyari - one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods of Karachi and is fast becoming a coronavirus hub for this very reason - and does little to perturb and perplex its residents has added to the difficulties of health and district administration officials.

For long they have been trying to make the area’s dissidents understand the dangers of disregarding lockdown instructions but in vain.

In a recent instance of such disobedience, an infected person, who was isolated at his home, left for mosque to pray on Monday night. On being informed, local administration officials, with the help of police, traced him and forcibly shifted him to an isolation centre late at night.

This was confirmed by South deputy commissioner Irshad Ahmed Sodhar, who said, “Yes, the patient was walking around [on the streets] and also visited a mosque.” The patient was kept in home isolation for the past few days, after he tested positive for the coronavirus, he added.

However, the disregard for lockdown instructions was nothing new for officials.

“These patients are not willing to move to isolation wards,” Sodhar said, speaking on the matter. This was despite the administration trying to convince them time and again to relocate, explaining that the virus could infect their families otherwise, he added.

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And so, Lyari continues to sink further down in the pandemic jeopardy, its residents failing to realise that they are in deep, deep trouble. This nonchalance is probably a primary reason why it has one of the highest number of Covid-19 cases in Karachi.

Coronavirus prevalence in Lyari

Among 1,031 cornavirus patients in Karachi’s South district, 273 are from Lyari, which is located near Karachi port, adjacent to one of the metropolis’ busiest markets.

There, most infected persons reside along the length of a main road, Atmaram Pritamdas Road aka Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Road, on both sides. According to the health department, the incidence is highest in Bihar Colony, with 30 coronavirus cases, Agra Taj Colony, with 30 cases, and Baghdadi Colony, which is home to 26 infected persons, as of now.

At present, 200 infected persons have been isolated at their homes in Lyari and the rest are shifted to different healthcare facilities, including Lyari General Hospital, Dr Ruth Civil Hospital and the isolation facility at the Expo Centre.

US coronavirus deaths projected at over 74,000 by August

But it was a tall task, which health officials and the local administration are still struggling to complete properly.

“[This is because] no one cares about the lockdown,” commented Ramzan Baloch, a writer and a renowned social activist. “The state has to ensure its writ [now],” he stressed, adding that the district administration should take steps to ensure the safety of those still healthy.

Baloch said that the world had fought the virus wisely. “But we are still praying and not staying home,” he added. “The only option left [now] is to tighten the lockdown.

Seeking a different solution

Activists, health officials and local administration officials attribute Lyari’s resistance to lockdown instruction to the social structure of the old city locality.

Hence, authorities have now begun seeking the help of the area’s ‘elders,’ who exercise considerable influence, to raise awareness about the hazards of ignoring lockdown instructions and convince infected residents to shift to isolation centres.

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“We have approached the heads of 55 football clubs as well as senior members of various jamaat khanas [community centres ] for the purpose,” Sodhar told The Express Tribune. “We want these people [infected persons] to move to isolation centres as it is near impossible for them to maintain social distance at homes,” he said, further explaining that “they do not have big enough houses, and the only way for them to keep their families safe is to shift to Covid-19 healthcare facilities.”

Expanding capacity

But majority had resisted shifting to isolation centres, particularly the Expo Centre, which they say was far away from their home, said Sodhar. “So, we are now planning to set up more isolation centres in Lyari,” he added.

Currently, Lyari General Hospital has a 100-bed isolation facility while another 100-bed isolation centre is expected to be established at the hospital this week. The South District administration has also decided to set up a 320-bed facility at Mir Ayub Khan Girls School and another at Lyari Arts and Commerce College.]]>
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			<title>Lyari’s dissidents pose challenge for health officials</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2203803/lyaris-dissidents-pose-challenge-health-officials</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2203803/lyaris-dissidents-pose-challenge-health-officials#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 20 02:47:56 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[They continue to roam streets despite being told multiple times to stay inside, says DHO]]>
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				<![CDATA[With over 500 confirmed coronavirus cases reported from Karachi's South district, health professionals are finding it challenging to ensure that residents stay inside their houses, especially those in old city areas.

"Lyari is a real challenge in the district," said district health officer Dr Ahmed Ali Shaikh, speaking on the matter. "We have been requesting them [Lyari's residents] to follow lockdown guidelines and stay inside their houses," he said, "but they simply don't like listening to us."

He complained that the attitude of the residents of Lyari was a "bit harsh" towards health workers. "They resist and don't cooperate with our teams," he said.

Despite the number of positive cases rising steeply in Lyari, its residents keep roaming in the streets and in markets without any fear of the virus, or even that of police and Rangers personnel.

This was evident when Ishaq Hingoro, a resident of Lyari, laughed, pointing out to a road full with pedestrians, and said, "No one is afraid of the virus."

"We are a different kind of people," he laughed again, saying the residents even tried to visit a home where a patient was kept in isolation. "You cannot easily convince the people of Lyari," he explained, adding that everyone in the neighbourhood discussed the virus but few understood the danger associated with it.

Shakoor Baloch, another resident, said that the only way to keep the people of Lyari isolated was to seal the streets. He said that there was a little fear among some families and the majority still enjoyed staying out.

According to a health department official, people from Kutchi, Niazi and Pathan communities mostly remain outside their homes, especially those located on narrow streets.

He told The Express Tribune that 506 persons from South district had tested positive so far, surpassing the virus tally of all other districts of Sindh. Among them, 92 belong to Lyari alone.

Of them, four persons have died, 16 have been shifted to the isolation facility at the Expo Centre, 10 have been isolated at Lyari General Hospital, few were transported to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital and remaining were advised isolation themselves at home.

However, due to lack of space making it near impossible for many to isolate themselves at homes, the health department would be transporting almost all Covid-19 patients to the Expo Centre today (Wednesday), as decided on Tuesday.

Confirming this, Dr Shaikh said, "Yes, we have to shift them."

Earlier, on Friday night, at least 15 patients who were placed in home isolation were taken to the Expo Center with the help of South deputy commissioner Irshad Ahmed Sodhar and Kalri and Kalakot police.

With citizens refusing to abide by lockdown orders, it is feared that many law enforcement personnel deployed in the area would too contract the virus. Hence, on Tuesday, health department teams tested 60 police officials at Baghdadai Police Station, on the request of top police officials.

Interestingly, not only Lyari, residentsof Clifton and Defence Housing Authority, too, avoid observing social distancing.

Explaining the issues the health department faced in these posh areas, Dr Shaikh said that there were some apartments where residents had even made arrangements for congregational prayers on Friday. "We have identified the apartment and residents have clearly been instructed to follow the law or stern action would be taken against them," he added.

Owing to the increase in the number of positive cases, 36 teams have been formed in city's South district to tackle the pandemic.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22nd, 2020.]]>
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