Lyari's newly renovated Kakri Ground ready to host games

Residents celebrate development, renovation work but regret ground's renaming to Molana Mohammad Ali Johar

KARACHI:

One of the city's oldest sports grounds – the Kakri Ground – has been redeveloped and is ready to host events.

Located in Lyari, the ground also served as the site for Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari's wedding ceremony. Local residents appreciate the development work but take objection to the ground's name being changed to Molana Mohammad Ali Johar Ground.

Redevelopment work started last year in January with the budget allocated under the ‘Redevelopment of Kakri Sports Complex and Neighborhood Improvement’ project, which entailed the renovation of the football ground, a protection fence, a jogging track, construction of a new pavilion, and the rehabilitation of the boxing club and karate academy.

Besides, the construction of a three-story multipurpose building for Jafa Academy, a female and male gymnasium, cafeteria, library, basketball hall, table tennis court and car parking in the basement.

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairperson and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari it to inaugrate the ground tomorrow (Wednesday). Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's birthday celebrations will be held later the same day.

“It is a new look for the ground and will attract youth to participate in healthy activities,” said Ishaq Hingoro, a resident. But, he added, "There should not be any fees for the activities because we cannot afford it".

“The area where Kakri ground exists was nothing but a spot where people of this area used to play games, especially football,” said Ramzan Baloch, a well-known writer.

Baloch said that Kakri has remained a renowned feature of Lyari. The word ‘kakri’ is a distorted version of the word kankari (pebble). “Molana Mohammad Ali Johar is the new name of the ground but people do not like the change to its name,” he added. “I can say it’s the oldest sports ground of Lyari,” he said.

Sultan Adam, a resident of Kalri, said, “Different communities have been living around this historical ground”. Naming various Kutchi-speaking groups like Memon, Hingora, Khatri and Maheshwari, Adam said that “The youth come from different parts and this ground gives them a space to play together. This ground plays a positive role not only for sports activities but a space that unites everyone”.

Seconding Baloch’s comments, Adam said, “People of Lyari do not accept [easily] the new name of anything”. He added that the government should not play with the emotions of the residents. “We have an emotional attachment with Kakri ground."

Abdul Karim Sanghar said that the ground has produced many national and international players, including Umar Baloch, Ali Nawaz Baloch, Mola Bux Gothai, Abdul Ghafoor Majna, Suleman Kara, Ejaz Kara, Ghulam Abbas, Abdullah Hero, Ali Nawaz, Lala Ashiq, Sarwar Baloch, Qadar Patla, and many others.

"The girl's portion in the ground was a new addition some 12 years ago,” he said, adding that female footballers from Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Keamari, Saddar and Lyari practice [here] regularly”.

He suggested that the names of the heroes should be celebrated by displaying their photos around the ground and the name of the academies should be dedicated to them. "Siddique Sanghar [the former director of sports and the football coach] was a name respected by all players and the newly constructed building should be named after him,” he said, offering his suggestion.

The residents remember major political gatherings held in the ground by former president Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the 1970s, Benazir, Zardari and other nationalist parties.

“This ground is known for political, social and sports activities,” said Sanghar.