Half the areas empty as Kutchis move out

Evacuation of the Kutchi-dominated areas in Lyari has so far forced 25,000 residents to relocate to safer places.

KARACHI:

The evacuation of the Kutchi-dominated areas in Lyari has so far forced nearly 25,000 residents to relocate themselves to safer neighbourhoods.

The migration, which started late Wednesday evening, continued till Friday morning. Almost all families of Rahimanabad, Mandra Mohalla, alFalah Road and almost half of Bihar Colony off Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Road have migrated to safer locations. Scores of families, who were staying with their relatives in Hingorabad and on Jumah Baloch Road, left for Malir, Khokhrapar, Baldia Town, and as far away as Thatta, Badin and Umerkot. A family that had to catch Usman Rahimon’s bus for Badin managed to reach Jumah Baloch Road after Fajr prayers. The head of the family, Muhammad Soomar, said: “We may never return to our home again.” Soomar had moved to Lyari some 15 years ago from Thatta.

Protests

Hundreds of women along with children staged a sit-in on main Mauripur Road early Friday, when the protest turned violent and two Kutchi boys were shot dead in Mandra Mohalla. Shouting slogans against the Lyari gangsters, they demanded the federal government take notice of the killings of Kutchi people.

After the killings in Mandra Mohalla on Friday morning, men and women were seen running from one house to another, appealing to residents in Hingorabad and on Jumah Baloch Road to move to Mauripur Road to protest as armed men reached Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Road. They were also blaming Rangers’ personnel for opening fire on Kutchis on the right side of the road, while armed men took the left side.

Protesters blocked Mauripur Road and stopped containers and trucks from plying. They also laid down large rocks on the road to halt traffic while young girls wearing veils and elderly women brought Quran and Tasbeehs to say prayers for peace. The police and Rangers arrived within an hour and asked protesters to return or face the consequences. “I have brought some bangles for you,” Sakina Bhai, an elderly woman, offered Lyari SP Najam Tareen and Rangers’ Colonel Hasan. Sakina’s contemporaries followed suit and threw their bangles at the law enforcers.

The officials discussed their options with SSP Tariq Dharejo and tried to disperse the crowd using tear gas and water cannon. Two water cannons arrived 15 minutes as the policemen prepared for the task, while the Rangers took a backseat. The police officials issued repeated warnings to the enraged residents till 3pm but the presence of the media prevented them from taking any action.

“The armed men have occupied our homes and are killings our children, but police and Rangers are just enjoying the situation,” Bilqees Kutchi told. “It is a clear massacre and the provincial government is supporting the criminals.”

The protesters offered Friday prayers on the road and joined the funeral of Shoaib Kutchi who was killed in Mandra Muhalla.

The police and Rangers warned thousands of participants not to move towards CM House but the protesters continued to walk ahead. Expecting water cannons, the protesters carried the coffin towards the line of law enforcers but they were forced to disperse when bullets came down from all directions. The law enforcers turned towards the ICI bridge while the protesters placed the coffin at a nearby petrol pump and ran back for cover. They struggled to find shelter as bullets continued to falls from the Machhar Colony side, along with Ali Muhammad Muhalla, Zikri Muhalla, alFalah Road and Mandra Mohalla.

The firing continued for almost an hour and a half near Jummah Baloch and Hingorabad Road from both sides.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2013.