"It seems Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is taking revenge from the people of Lyari, as it was compelled to give ticket to People's Aman Committee (PAC) nominated candidates from the area in May 2003 general elections," a local activist commented while referring to the recurring violence in the gang war-plagued neighbourhood of the city.
The decades-old gang war in Lyari, which has intensified recently, has claimed hundreds of lives. The area has been a traditional stronghold of PPP since its inception, but the party despite being in power both in centre and the province for multiple times have done least for socio-economic uplift of the area people.
Despite being unchallenged representative party of the area for decades, the PPP also did not take any serious effort to eradicate the gang war in the neighbourhood. In the last general elections, Shahjehan Baloch, Javed Nagori and Sania Naz Baloch were elected as MNA and MPAs, respectively from the area on PPP's ticket. But sources said that they were not PPP candidates, but PPP had to give ticket to them, who were named by Uzair Jan Baloch of People's Aman Committee, as PPP was sure to loss to PAC due to PAC's grip over the area.
But the newly-elected representatives not only failed to restore peace in the area, rather they allegedly intensified the gang war which left hundreds dead and a large number of people wounded. Hundreds of families had to leave the area due to continuing violence.
The ruling PPP seems to have kept itself aloof from the ongoing gang war and its provincial government neither did any thing to bring back the displaced people, which are mainly from a small ethnic group, nor it establish government's writ in the area. The feud hit the area in September last year after some respite when a war clan leader Zafar Baloch was killed suspiciously, which is held a primary reason behind the ongoing infighting of the outlawed group. Since then, the infighting intensified to a great extent which reduced the public movement in the area.
The violence continued to grow and flared up on Wednesday claiming 18 lives. The gunfight and bomb attacks took place on main roads of Lyari. The presence of Rangers and police however made no difference. A visit to the area showed the violence has left the public shaken, with roads and streets presenting deserted look. "It seems that PPP is taking revenge from the people of Lyari, as defunct PAC nominated candidates won elections from here," said an activist.
Well-informed sources said PPP played face-saving game by supporting Saradar Uzair Jan's nominated candidates - Shah Jahan Baloch, Sania Naz Baloch and Jawaid Nagori, in last general elections. "PPP was left with no option but to support PAC's nominated candidates because it had deprived the people from basic necessitates like health, education and employment," a senior PPP leader told this correspondent.
"PPP has maintained its dominance in the neighbourhood but at the cost of area people lives," a resident of Lyari said. Shah Jhan Baloch got elected on NA-248 - Lyari cannot go to the masses because he has been imprisoned on murder and other charges. Likewise, Sania Naz Baloch won election from PS-108 and Jawaid Nagori from PS-109 but the fact is that both the legislators could not even move freely in their constituencies to share the miseries of their voters.
Hundreds of people have been killed in violence-stricken areas of Lyari including Behar Colony, Gulistan Colony, Baghdadi, Kalri, Mosa Lane, Jhaat Pat Market, and Klakot, as continuing gunfight between the two rival groups gripped the entire area for last six months.
Hands grenades and Rocket Propeller Grenades (RPG) have been used heavily during the violence from both sides, causing panic and fear among the residents. Residents of the area question the role of police and Rangers to free the "hostage" public from war clans whose writ is growing stronger with each passing day. The troubled areas fall under the jurisdiction of Chakiwara, Klakot, Baghdadi and Kalri police stations, which are responsible to maintain the law and order situation. The unabated battle between the gangsters groups has so far gulped lives of hundreds of inhabitants, but no law enforcement agency has bothered to respond to the hue and cry of the Lyariites.
On Thursday, hundreds of people from Lyari staged a protest demonstration outside Karachi Press Club, blaming PPP for the ongoing violence in Lyari. They said that law enforcement agencies appeared helpless in taking action against the criminal elements. "PPP and its leadership are behind the killing of Lyari people," a protestor said. They called for ending the ongoing gang war in the area. "Without taking name, protestors also pinpointed law enforcement agencies for the mysterious role in the gang warfare."