All on board: In a first, MQM to join talks on Lyari law and order
Thousands of Lyari residents have moved to safer neighbourhoods in the past week as the law and order situation worsened on Thursday. PHOTO: ONLINE
For peace to prevail in the city’s volatile Lyari neighbourhood, the administration has decided to get all stakeholders on board - including, for the first time, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.
With gunshots and grenades flying over Lyari skies since the start of July, the police and district South administration held talks with the leaders of the Peoples Amn Committee (PAC) and the Kutchi Rabita Committee (KRC) and have decided that peace in Lyari needs all relevant parties on board.
“The situation in Lyari is complex,” said DIG South Dr Ameer Shaikh. “So far, we are satisfied with the response from both sides.” Shaikh assured that law enforcement agencies will take stern action against criminals and they have support from the two parties. “We are talking to the MQM today [Friday] and hope it’ll bring peace in the area.”
The administration started talks on Thursday morning after which the residents heard announcements on loud speakers that the talks have reached the final point and there would be a complete ceasefire. But the firing and explosions started again soon after. Despite subsequent talks, firing continued well into Thursday night.
Leaving their homes
The worse affected localities within Lyari have been emptied by hundreds of families in the past week. On Thursday morning as the announcements from mosques warned of the worsening law and order situation, thousands of people left for safer areas.
The most tensed areas since Tuesday have been Rahimabad, Bajeer Muhalla, Haji Bachal Road, Mandra Mohalla, alFalah Road, Babu Hotel, Masjid Road, Bihar Colony and other adjacent areas. Among those who left, several have shifted to safer areas in the city while some families have left for their native villages.
For those who have nowhere to go, makeshift arrangements have been made in New Kalri at Soomra Jamaat Khana Hall, Sanghar Jamaat Khana Hall, Lohar Wadha Jamaat Khana Hall and Hingora Jamaat Khana Hall. The affected families are being served meals by philanthropists since all markets, shops, even medical stores and milk shops, and private hospitals remained closed.
Even after leaving for safer areas, the residents will be in for a shock when they return since the empty homes have been broken into and all valuables have been stolen.
Protest on Mauripur Road
Several of the affected families staged a protest on Mauripur Road on Thursday morning, demanding the government maintain law and order or allow them to handover their homes to the gangsters. All traffic on the main road remained suspended for nearly four hours as men, women and children shouted slogans against the government, the political representatives and the law enforcement agencies for their biased role.
“There are no police or Rangers for the last three days,” said an elderly man from alFalah Road, Muhammad Yousuf. “We remained inside our homes without access to even the basic necessities of life.”
Another female resident was upset about leaving her home for the first time. “We have been living in Lyari since our ancestors migrated from India,” said Ruqaiya Bibi. “We had experienced tensions between different groups in the past but it is critical now.”
Negotiations
Deputy Commissioner South Mustafa Jamal Qazi and SSP Tarique Dharejo held talks with the KRC leaders on Thursday. “I am sure Dharejo will honestly take up the efforts as he is a thorough gentleman,” said KRC leader Hussain Kutchi. They demanded the administration pay compensation to the affected families and warned that talks will not continue if Rangers do not set up pickets in sensitive areas. Hussain said that the administration had ensured that their grievances would be resolved.
“We are trying to bring peace in Lyari but a third party is exploiting and trying to widen the gap between the original residents of Lyari,” claimed MPA Javed Nagori.
Lives lost in Lyari bloodshed
Two people were killed, while 13 others, including three police officials, were injured in different areas of Lyari during on-going conflicts in the area on Thursday.
DPS Shakeel and constables, Ahsan and Murad, were injured by unidentified armed men during an operation against criminals, within Chakiwara police station remits.
A watchman at a rickshaw garage, Muhamamd Yousuf, 50, was killed in a mortar shell attack near Hanif Manzil and 13-year-old Kamran died in another explosion on Ghausia Masjid Road in Aagrataj Colony.
Hakeem Bibi was injured near Dubai Chowk in a separate explosion, while Nadir and his father, Bhutta, were injured in a firing incident near Mauripur Chowk Road. Ghulam Hussain Ganchi and Meero Khan were injured in a firing incident in Behar Colony, while Irfan was injured in Mandra Mohalla. Haroon, his wife Hanifa and son Feroze were injured in a mortar shell explosion on Jumah Baloch Road on Thursday.
Two heavy trucks were set on fire on Mauripur Road.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 5th, 2013.