Since decades Karachiites in general have distanced themselves from the people of Lyari, but now there are signs the whole city is reaching out to befriend them. Men and women of the middle-class and affluent class, artists, actors, teachers, singers, musicians, sportspersons, philanthropists, film-makers, media persons, doctors and vets have extended hands of friendship, rekindling smiles on the faces of people living in the most crime infested area.
This is a phenomenon with a different from the serious and laudable good work of welfare organisations, NGOs and dedicated persons especially of the Fisherfolk Forum, or the much publicised acts of kindness of political parties motivated by a desire to beef up their vote banks.
The new motivation is social integration of Lyari into the rest of the city, to recognise the many talents and potential of Lyariites. All these years we have focused on the gangsterism, crime, and dirty politics which has been projected as the character of the people, quite forgetting, or ignoring, that the majority are actually victims not culprits.
The new phenomenon is a conscious awakening of the rest of Karachi. Whoever they are, whatever profession they belong to, or whichever class of society they are from, they can do their bit to revive the Lyariwalas' love of life. That is what it is all about. Last week 60 boys and girls from Lyari showed their talent at the auditorium of Karachi's National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA). They had completed a six-month course at the MAD (Music, Art, Dance) School Society, in which they were taught to act, dance, sing and play musical instruments. The show was for both audience and participants a joyful experience and an eye-opener to the fact that all segments of Karachi society can cooperate to bring peace and dignity to the whole city. This was only one event of the many ways in which the phenomenon is shaping .
My first realisation of the change was when my younger sister, a teacher, announced she had volunteered to teach Lyari boys and girls English. I was highly disturbed by the thought of my sibling going into that dangerous place. I am older and do not usually throw my weight about, but this time I was determined to stop her rash project which would earn her a bullet rather than kudos. She reassured me it was not the teachers who were going into Lyari, but Lyari was comming to the city to be schooled on Saturdays and Sundays. A bus picked and dropped the students. Phew! This year my sister announced they were going to train Lyari teachers. No angst felt this time.
Such work for uplift of Lyari has been going on longer than last year, I recalled the award-winning documentary made by amateure film-makers about Lyari footballers, shown about five years ago. The Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation established in 2012 to care for injured and abandoned donkeys and stray animals. Last year young boys of Lyari put Pakistan on the football map at an international competition. The Boyschout movement which encourages young Lyariites to join and trains them. All such people reflect the changed attitude of Karachiites.
There is still an impression the people of Defence and Clifton do not know and do not care for the poor, the down trodden. They have left it to the government and NGOs to do the needful. But now these are the people who have been helping in the uplift of Lyari by offering their own talents and professional knowhow and, of course, financial aid. Even Previous neither Defence nor Clifton's affluent society cauld be criticised for being skinflints. They have always given generously, but the difference now is that it is their own hand which gives. Previously they gave to organisation; they did not personally know the people Who were being aided by their generosity. Wow they are aware and involved. This is a truly big change in the attitude of that segment of society which is self-serving and self-focused. Today they are in the forefront.
The best thing about this new phenomenon is that it has no leaders, no political agenda, no religious motivation, no officialdom. Everyone is, as they say in modern lingo, "doing their own thing". What are the factors which led to such fellow-feeling among all the people of Karachi for one another? I really do not know. At present I have simply noted the change in attitude; the phenomenon needs to be studied by trained sociologists. All I can offer is that perhaps it is a reaction to organised welfare work which has failed to bring about realistic change in the plight of Lyari.
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