Ahead of May 11 polls, Lyari's streets and roads are eerily silent, as only right-wing political groups are taking out rallies and staging corners meetings to mobilise electoral support. Lyari in the past used to give a much different look ahead of elections, as Baloch youth would dance on the hypnotic beat of Leva, people used to proudly carry body paintings of PPP's election symbol of 'arrow' and loud party music was much in vogue during the party's polls drive.
But this time around, a totally different trend is visible. Fear, frustration and anger appeared to have reduced the credibility of PPP in the country's most politically-aware constituency which once spearheaded almost all political movements.
During a visit to Lyari, this correspondent saw a few banners of PPP. A lesser number of its flags were seen on roads and streets in the locality. But, portraits of Sardar Uzair Jan Baloch along with army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani are very visible, showing an end to the left-wing politics in the area.
"Bhuttoism is dead among the people of Lyari because of poverty, deprivation, miseries, shortages of clean drinking water and electricity, joblessness and poor law and order situation," says the chief of Karachi City Alliance, Sardar Uzair Jan Baloch.
Lyari's population is multi-ethnic, subscribing almost all religious groups. The constituency is spread over as many as 11 union councils, one National Assembly and two Sindh Assembly seats. Baloch dominate the constituency followed by Kutchis, Niazis - Pushtuns and Punjabis both. Hindus and Christians are other religious groups after predominant Muslims.
Total eligible votes in NA-248 are 271,000 and in NA-249, which shares two union councils of Lyari Town and falls in Saddar Town, has 287,000 valid votes.
NA-248 and PS-108 and PS-109 fall in Lyari constituency where a number of political parties are taking part in polls. Of them, the PPP is leading the drive, followed by JI, PML-N, PML-F, MQM, ST, PPP-SB and some independent candidates.
"I am supporting the candidates nominated by the Lyari elders' committee fielded on PPP tickets, as they are the real heirs of the area," says Uzair Jan who continues to hold public gatherings to draw votes for candidates.
"NA-249, PS-110 and PS-111 are important seats...a stiff competition will be witnessed among a number of political parties such as MQM, PPP and JUP," anticipates the deputy chief of JI South District, Syed Abdul Rasheed, who is a resident of Lyari. He, too, believes that Lyari's underdevelopment was the main factor which reduced the PPP charisma, compelling the people of area to turn to other political parties in a bid to regain their past prosperity and infrastructure growth.
"In the absence of local bodies' system, Lyari witnessed a long phase of non-development stretching between 1989 and 2002...Lyari suffered in terms of (rapidly) deteriorating infrastructure, education and sports. The area also saw a downturn politically," he said.
However, he expected his party to succeed in polls. According to him, if this happened, his party would bring Lyari on a par with Nazimabad, if not Paris. He claims that the JI still had the support of at least 40 percent of public votes in Lyari. He pointed out that a number of JI-backed councillors had completed developed projects.
Vice-President of PPP's Karachi Division Habib Hassan acknowledged that people in Lyari were unhappy with his party's former elected representatives late Rafiq Engineer, Dr Saleem Hingoro and Sardar Nabil Gabol who ignored local problems during the past five years.
"We are unopposed across this constituency...our candidates have full public support," he claimed, adding that Lyari was "peaceful". He maintained that the locality was supportive of an atmosphere conducive to run political drives of all parties ahead of the May 11 elections.
Sardar Uzair clarified his support to the PPP candidates. "I am just following the elders' directions to stir up public support for their nominated candidates," he says. "If the real heirs of Lyari are elected in the polls, I hope Lyari will become (as glorious as) Paris," he asserted. He said that the area had been and still was a peaceful part of the city.
According to him, the deployment of army in Karachi will ensure peaceful and transparent polls.
He said that elected people should be given a chance to develop Lyari, and provide opportunities to public to attain better education and jobs. He said that the new government should provide education, healthcare to public and solve water and power problems. Criticising former PPP elected representatives, Sardar Uzair accused them of being responsible for the lack of progress in Lyari, adding that they even held back development funds. He said that used public money for personal financial gains.
PPP has fielded Shahjahan Baloch on NA-248, MQM Sardar Nabil Gabol, PML-N Faisal Javed Dashti, JUI-F Shireen Muhammad Khan and chairwomen of PPP and Ghinwa Bhutto (PPP-SB) is also contesting the constituency.
A tough electoral battle is likely on PS-108 among JI's Fazlur Rehman, PPP's Javed Nagori, MQM's Muhammad Saleem, PPP-SB's Ghinwa Bhutto, PML-F's Mehboob Katchi, and MSC, Tajuddin Siddiqui. PS-109 is contested by PPP's Sania Naz, JUI-F, Hafiz Taj Muhammad, PML-F, Rafiq Baloch, PML-N, Sultan Bahadur, MQM, Azharul Islam and ANP's Afsar Awan. "All political parties are carrying out political activities without any problem in NA-248, but in NA-249, a number of parties are facing difficulties regarding taking out rallies or organising public meetings," says Habib Hassan.
He sees the situation "feasible" for polls and rules out any hindrances to the holding of elections, saying every party is ready to take part in the political process. "All political parties have their offices in Lyari," he says.
"By and large, Lyari has been traditionally a peaceful area with no crime," says Abdul Rasheed, an independent candidate. He said that long-running public deprivations, lack of civic amenities and academic institutions spurred them to call for better education and political dispensation.
Politics in Lyari is also based on community system, he says, adding that the Baloch, Kutchi and Niazi votes are capable of changing the election results. He believes candidates backed by Uzair Jan Baloch "will receive a better response from voters".
He says his party was continuing its political movement in Lyari without any problems, holding public gatherings and meetings on a regular basis. "There is no clash among political parties on holding gatherings and carrying other election-related activities," he said.
The PTI and ANP are absent in NA 248 and NA-249. However, JI hopes to show its strength in elections, especially in PS-108.
"Police operations against the people of Lyari are primary reason among several others which steered away the people from the PPP and its leadership," says Habib Hassan.
He said he would personally welcome the deployment of army personnel at polling stations to stop rigging during the election not just in Lyari but across the city. However, he gave credit to the PPP for rehabilitating closed schools, making hospital operational and rebuilding roads in the area in the past year.
But, he criticised the party for ignoring the area and its people for several years. "The people of Lyari rendered sacrifices, but jobs were given to others," he regrets.
He said that he and his workers still reposed confidence in PPP leadership, including co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who gave election tickets to candidates nominated by the people of Lyari.
The area is home to 13 boxing clubs, seven football grounds, a major hospital, a number of dispensaries, schools, four colleges, including a medical and a technical one and a university called Benazir Bhutto University, Lyari. Bihar Colony, Agra Taj Colony, Gulistan Colony, Hingorabad, Mandhara Para, Baghdadi, Kalri, Nayaabad, Niazi Chowk, Memon Society, Moosa Lane, Chakiwara, Kalakot, Singo Lane and Meranaka are the main parts of Lyari.
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