Essa’s defenceless nagri: Residents fear upsurge in crime after demolition of walls

Seven walls were built to protect residents from rival groups in adjacent localities

KARACHI:

The narrow, garbage-strewn alleyways of Essa Nagri were in commotion on Thursday. Its residents were visibly edgy — their self-made defences against miscreants had been haplessly torn down a day earlier.

Three women stood near a pile of debris outside their houses. The street had been a cul-de-sac just a day ago; now the alleyway opened into the adjacent neighbourhood, many of whose residents were considered hostile by the Christian community. "Will we still be able to hold a rally on Palm Sunday? Will we be able to celebrate Easter peacefully? Will we again have to suffer from harassment and robberies now that the walls have been demolished?" The women had several questions. There was no consolatory response.

The seven 13-foot-high walls, built by the Christian community in Essa Nagri to protect themselves from criminals, were recently destroyed by miscreants. They had separated Essa Nagri from its surrounding neighbourhoods of Munno Goth and Karnal Basti. Three of these were destroyed on Tuesday, allegedly by members of a rival group.

A pastor, who witnessed the demolition, said that men tore them down with hammers and fired into the air to scare off anyone who resented the move. "They said they were tearing down the walls because the Rangers had ordered to remove all barriers. They wanted to destroy all the walls but thank God the police arrived in time."

The PIB police registered an FIR against both groups, booking them under several sections, including attempted murder. Dozens of people were rounded up and arrested.

A police officer, Manzoor, said that the walls were demolished by the rival group, but shots were fired from both sides. The police also claim ed the walls were government property. "The government helped rebuild one of the walls that was destroyed by the same people last year. The rest of them were built entirely by us," said a resident.

The walls

In September 2012, the Christians made seven protective walls overnight in Essa Nagri, following five murders in their community. "There were frequent robberies and muggings. Women were being harassed. Target killings were taking place," reminisced a local activist, Dr Liaquat Munawar.

On the orders of the then DSP Nasir Lodhi, the community came together and built seven walls that were to act as protective shields from other localities. Families contributed whatever they could in terms of labour or finances. The next year, however, some of the households demanded that gates be built in the walls so they could access the mosques on the other side.

For his part, New Town DSP Nasir Lodhi said he had given permission for the walls to be built in 2012, following a firing incident that had claimed the lives of two members of the Christian community. "Their families were protesting on the roads and I asked them what they wanted. We could not deploy police on every street of Essa Nagri, so they asked for walls to be built." Lodhi said that when a wall was destroyed last year, the District East deputy commissioner had come forward and rebuilt it. He added that the walls did not fall under the parameters of the barriers, and those who destroyed it on the pretence of following the Rangers' orders, were wrong.

On street no. 3, the First UP church is situated close to the boundary. A regular church-goer claimed there were rumours of potential attacks in the area. "We want the walls to be rebuilt as soon as possible before our religious holidays." she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2015.