Fleeting normalcy: Lyari gets a facelift ahead of Nisar’s rumoured visit

A heavy contingent of Rangers and KMC staff could be seen preparing for the minister’s visit.

KARACHI: Lyari residents woke up to a rather pleasant surprise as they witnessed Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) staff putting in extra efforts to clean up the streets filled with heaps of garbage and a large number of law enforcers standing guard in areas usually left at the mercy of criminal elements.

Personnel of the law enforcement agencies could be seen manning the Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Road, a spot where they should have been since July 1. The unusual activity caused a flurry of activity among the residents as they tried to find out the reason behind these measures. They soon found their answers when rumours that federal interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is expected to visit the area started doing the rounds.



The residents stopped the KMC staff from cleaning the road so that the top officials could see the real picture of the area. On their resistance, KMC officials suspended their work.

But no one dared to ask the mighty Rangers to go away. The paramilitary force could be seen right from the Mirza Adam Khan Road to Kamila Stop, an area said to be a stronghold of the Kutchi Rabita Committee.

Anticipating Chaudhry Nisar’s arrival, the residents prepared placards in favour of the federal government and denouncing the Sindh government. “Chaudhry would be given a rousing welcome and our women and children are ready to brief him on our situation,” a resident told The Express Tribune.

To no one’s surprise, the Rangers personnel left in the evening just as quickly as they had arrived in the morning once it was confirmed that the interior minister would not be visiting.

A Rangers spokesperson contradicted, however, the rumours and said that it was routine deployment and not for the expected arrival of the minister.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2013.