The real Lyari

By Aftab Ahmed Baloch

Note: This article will supersede all of my previous articles which are related to Lyari. This would be an update for Baloch readers living abroad or for those folks, interested in drastically unique Balochi culture, or simply interested in Lyari the mini Balochistan or a land of magic! Please note that the Lyari is a huge area, a slum with over one million inhabitants,stretching at one side from Lea market to Shershah, from Maripur Road to Garden on the other side, from Bihar Colony towards Kharadar. In each & every part of Lyari, people exhibits slightly varied Balochi dialect & culture.
The other purpose of this article is to make realized new Baloch generation & other non Balochs that Lyari is not simply a place of gangs, drugs & thieves but we had a glorious history, various famous figures were ordinary Balochs from Lyari. At the time when peace is prevailing in the quarter, we must portray the right picture of Lyari, i.e. the picture of its beautiful & bright people.

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Lyari is changing, Balochs are learning, the course of geo political, socio economic events which were taking or still taking place are directly or indirectly influencing Baloch nation. New Baloch generation are no more interested running donkey courts or entangling with tiring football business but are more concerned in improving their academic, business & technical talents.

The Origin of Lyari…Glimpses from the past…
Before we dive into the present & future Lyari, about its Baloch majority inhabitants, let us turn the page of history. We start with the origin of name of ‘Lyari’ here we find several definitions like a Baloch historian Late Waja Yousuf Naskanti once said: ‘The word Lyari is derived from the word Lyar, i.e. the name of a tree that blooms in graveyards, or it means the deadly silence of the graveyard’, This phenomena sounds more logical in an essence that Mewa Shah is the oldest & earliest graveyards of Lyari, Karachi. Even the word Karachi is a twisted form of original ‘Kolachi’, presumed to be an early Baloch lady dweller of this fishermen’s village. A road from PNSC towards Boating Basin, Clifton has also named after ‘Mai Kolachi’. It is an adventurous root for most of Lyarites who thrill with their Vespa scooters on weekends or annual donkey court races are also conducted in this road.


Since the pre-partition time, Lyari & adjoining areas like Kharadar, Khadda Market remained the major business centres, owing to their location near the Karachi port. Early Hindu groceries Merchants (often known as Banyaas) were pioneer in the business. In those days sheedis & African slaves were working as a labor in such markets. In this article, including a rare picture of Lyari, pertaining to early 1900s, you’ll see African slaves with their donkeys at Lyari river. There is also the a painting image by Henry Francis Ainsile (dated back as 1850s), depicting Karachi as a small village made up of a cluster of fishermen’s huts on the three island of Manora, Bhit and Baba. Sheedis or Makranis of Baghdadi are the descendents from African slaves, mostly brought from Zanzibar during the arrival of British in the region. Later on with the passage of time, they got amalgamated with the native Baloch settlers. These cross marriages have brought a totally drastic pro African /Balochi culture in this town. Including this, many Balochs had also migrated to other Arabian & African countries, including Australia (my historic article titled: ‘from Lyari to Australia’ speaks the same story. Another rare photograph of a Baloch Police officer from Zanzibar: Gajyan Baloch (which can also be seen in this article) is worthwhile. In Arabian countries Balochs are called Al-Balushi, due to limitation in Arabic language. In the same manner, Hollywood actor James Belushi (whose descendents are from Albania, a country in Southern Europe) is also assumed to be a Baloch and interestingly origin of Baloch, Belushi, or Balucci sounds alike. However more research is required. Kurds are also believed to be the close cousins of Balochs, as their various customs, facial features, traits looks identical.


For example, Leva is a kind of pro African trance dance, which is still practiced in some parts of African tribe. Once West Indies cricket team were also visited in this little African village (Baghdadi, Lyari) and they were amazed to see their own kind of people in this region.


It is not simply a place of gangs, drugs…. Our previous brilliant statures

Within Lyari, Balochs are divided into strong caste and clan system. Those of African descendents (Makranis/Shedees and some Laasis with black complexions) are assumed to be inferior, than those Iranian origin Balochs, with fair complexions even blond, as their ancestors had also left their native regions to settle in Lyari. Marriages are also done within this clan system. Still now, these dark skinned Balochs are working as servants in superior Baloch families in Pakistani side of Balochistan, however, all inhabitants share common Balochi culture. In Baghdadi, Lyari (also known as little Africa), majority of dark skinned Balochs (although with a deprived background) are far more educated than compared to white race Balochs of Kalakot which are from inherited rich families. But in Lyari, during Gulf & Japan boom, various Dubai & Japan returned Balochs, irrespective of their races has now improved their living status and drastically two classes can be seen living together in a same Mohalla. For example, you can see a house with a tin roof sheet alongwith a multi story ‘glass tower’ which would be seen installed with split air conditioners. Still now, various Baloch families have multi nationality of different countries like Europeans, Canada & America. In Norway, Sweden and England after the fall of Reza Shah & Iranian / Khomeini Revolution & at the time of Z.A. Bhutto when Balochs were being persecuted in Karachi & Balochistan, various Balochs had already migrated abroad. During 1960 or 63, during the reign of Ayub Khan, there was a wicked plan to forcefully relocate Baloch population to the northern side of Karachi, it created hate & resistance, several protests were recorded in the area, including a mass protest under the umbrella of National Awami Party (NAP) at Kakari ground, Kharadar, where various Baloch leaders like Ataullah Mengal, Waja Akbar Barakzai, Waja Yousuf Naskanti, Lal Bux Rind, Master Yar Mohammad Baloch, including various non Balochs like Abdul Rashid Bangali were the pioneer protest leaders. According to eyewitnesses, the Kakari ground was occupied with hundreds of thousands of people, who were agitating against Ayub’s government, in the same time in Balochistan an army operation was also being carried out against Baloch masses & Baloch leaders like Mr. Akbar Bughti was in jail. Thanks to the record protests & people agitation that the enforced relocation of Baloch Lyarites was withdrawn by Ayub’s government.

Famed Baloch figures of Lyari, reformists, politicians, social workers, educationists…
Many famous Baloch figures were from Lyari, like Waja Ghulam Muhammad Nooruddin, (the former Chairman Karachi Fishermen’s Co-operative Society, and Councilor of the area). He was a reformist, dedicated social worker, he also among the enthusiasts from Lyari, who had welcomed Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (founder of Pakistan) on his arrival in Karachi. Waja Ghulam Muhammad Nooruddin, was an intelligent & educated Baloch, he remained active during his tenure, he did some remarkable work like establishment of Lyari Community Development Project, where male & female Baloch students were given free education & technical training in different fields, like typing, electric wiring, tailoring centre, besides there was a full-fledged Library in the centre, sport area, boxing club etc. The community centre remained active until 1990s. Various NGOs had also established their camps in the vicinity. Under the guidance of Waja G.M. Nooruddin, a splendid exhibition, based on the works of Balochi handicraft, embroidery had also been demonstrated in this place, where Mir Rasool Buksh Talpur (Ex-Governor of Sindh 1972-73) was invited as a Chief Guest. Presently the centre, because of government’s negligence is in poor condition, after Waja G.M. Nooruddin, there is no one able in the area to look after. During recent gang war, the branch of First Women Bank (which was established in LCDP vicinity) was also looted & burned down by the gangsters.


Adjacent there, is a famous Bhayyai Bagh (Moulvi Usman Park), which was once a park, where television sets were also fixed for the local dwellers for watching television program, but now this area is barren & being used as a simple football play ground besides Nimaz- Jinaza are also offered in this ground. Some uplifts were carried out during Benazir’s tenure, but this couldn’t be maintained longer. This is the famous ground where renowned political leaders like Z.A. Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, Shaheed Murtaza Bhutto and Imran Khan conducted their assembly & Jalsaa. Other famous figures of the locality were Syed Zahoor Shah Hashmi (He was among the pioneers and pillars of Balochi language & its jurisprudence), he had also compiled a Balochi dictionary, titled: Syed Ganj, based on his work, a library (Syed Hashmi Reference Library) in Malir by Professor Sabad Dashtiari has also been established, which have a large no. of registered members. The library not only occupied with rare Balochi books but also covers non Balochi titles too. Professor Sabad Dashtiari is currently engaged at Quetta University, as a faculty of philosophy & Islamic studies. He is a famous Baloch thinker, linguistic and poet. He also participated in several Balochi cultural related symposiums in Sweden & Norway. Prof. N.M. Danish is another name, he is also famous Balochi poet & thinker, presently he is settled in America, interestingly, these two guys are from black race. Waja Khair Muhammad Nadvi (late) (picture included) is also a famous figure among religious circle, as he had translated entire Holy Quran in Balochi language. Waja Haji Wali Muhammad, was also a notables of Gul Muhammad Lane. Another name was (Late) Professor Khuda Bux Baloch, he was a famous educationist, reformist, former Professor of Pakistan Studies at S.M. Science College, Karachi, Master Yar Muhammad Baloch (a zealous educationist of Lasbela, Balochistan) also belongs from Lyari, he was among the active young leaders when Lyari was being relocated during Ayub’s government, Waja Lal Bux Rind, M. Yousuf Baloch, Faquir Muhammad Baloch were also known figures and social workers. Anjuman-e-Bedaria Balochan in Lyari, had earned a great fame, which was jointly established by these educated Balochs.


Waja Sattar Gabole (a famous Barrister & politician of his time, also remained as Minister for Labor and manpower during Z.A. Bhutto’s time) was also from Lyari. Another name is Dr. Taj Muhammad Baloch; perhaps he is the only PhD Baloch in Lyari, except other Baloch PhDs which are within country or abroad like Dr. Inayatullah Baloch, Dr. Malik Toughi, Dr. Sabir Badal Khan, etc.

At this moment, it will be unkind for not mentioning the story & feats of young Muhammad Arif Barakzai (Late), he belonged to a very poor family in Chakiwara, Lyari, however, he was a brilliant & genius kid. He did his Matriculation with A-One grade from a local peela school in Lyari. Later he completed his B.Sc honors from Karachi University & succeeded to get a scholarship for higher education in Sweden. He also presented his thesis on South Asian Region Politics at Uppsala University, Sweden. His family was so proud of him, and was hoping for a better future…BUT an un-usual event has taken away everything from their lives… Arif was killed in an accident. May Allah bless his soul with eternal peace.

Non Baloch European scholars..

Mrs. Karina Jihani, senior professor & research scholar from Uppsala University, Sweden also researched & mastered in Balochi language, perhaps she is the only recognized non Balochi figure in Europe. Recently she is working on her new book about Balochi language & culture, based on her tremendous work on Balochi Culture & language she also once appeared at the title of Balochi Labzank magazine. Mr. Tim Farrell, another research scholar from England also remained in Kalakot, Lyari alongwith his family for couple of years to research on Balochi Culture & language, where he was provided full-fledged support from the Baloch community, even though later the area was infested with gangsters. During his stay he had been continuously attending different Balochi social ceremonies / Deewans of the community.

Balochi magazines, other famed figures, poets, sportsmen, singers, artists…

Labzank was the only & famous Balochi magazine of the community, but since then 2004-2005, it was discontinued due to financial & unknown reasons, Mr. Abdul Wahid Baloch remained the Editor of the magazine. Recently couple of other Balochi magazines like Sichkan, Suhato are being circulated in Balochistan area.


Waja G.R. Mulla, a Baloch poet & author of Bazn & Mr. Waja Baig Mohammad Baigul, a Balochi fiction writer & poet also hail from Lyari.

Professor Ali Muhammad Shaheen, (a Baloch from Punjab) is a known figure of Lyari, he is a social worker & famous for providing free law education near vicinity of Foot Ball House, Lyari, which is currently occupied by Karachi Rangers, due to situation of the area. Prof. Shaheen also participated in an election but was defeated by one of the PPPs candidate.

Apart from these known figures, Baloch journalists, Lawyers, Doctors, civil servants, businessmen, motor mechanics, Engineers, Bankers, teachers, nurses, are also part & parcel of Lyari life. However, ratio of active Baloch lady workers are less, as compared to male because of the tribal background & lack of education.

In the field of sports legendary footballers like Pride of Performance: Umar Baloch (Late), Ghulam Abbas Baloch, Muhammad Yousuf Senior, Ali Nawaz, Dad Muhammad, Ustaad Qasim, Master Ameen, Ghafoor Baloch, as well as the famed boxers like Hussain Shah, Rashid Qambrani, Sajid n Jan Baloch and what not the famous bodybuilder, Sikander Baloch (Ex-Mr. Pakistan, International Judge for Bodybuilding competition) also belongs from Lyari.


Like sports in the field of showbiz too Balochi artists are not lagging behind like old Balochi singers Faiz Muhammad Baloch (late), Sattar Baloch(late), Aziz Baloch, Noor Muhammad Nooral, Ustaad Shifi (late), Jarok, Amina Tooti & many more. Currently Abdul Rehman Sorayzai (from Baghdadi) is a famous musician from Lyari, he also performed & awarded in a concert at Sweden. Balochi TV artist Mr. Anwar Iqbal (originally belongs from Lyari) is equally famous all over Pakistan, he had the opportunity to work in famous PTV plays like Uncle Hurfi (as Qamar), including Qasim Jalali’s famous history dramas like Akhtri Cahatan, he had also produced first Balochi film titled: ‘Ammal Maanganj’, the concept & writer of the movie was Syed Zahoor Shah Hashmi. Ammal Maangang is basically based on true Balochi historical love story, like Heer Ranja, Sassi Punno, but this movie could never be released, due to people’s agitations, perhaps Baloch people were not mentally prepared for that break-through at the moment & Waja Anwar Iqbal had suffered a heavy loss. He is currently settled in Lahore & is working in various TV dramas of different Pakistani channels with leading roles. ‘Vash TV’ is a new arrival for educating Baloch people, it is basically a pure Balochi news & current affair channel but facing marketing problems. Other Balochi artists are Sarfaraz Baloch, Waqar & Danish Baloch, Zubair Takor, Raja (he also worked in a PTV drama as a Baloch Boxer), Yousuf Jan, Wali Raees, Mansoor Baloch, Sohail Baloch, Asad Wali (a brilliant kid with beautiful voice) are also famous figures not only in Lyari but in entire Iranian & Pakistani Balochistan including anywhere where Baloch lives. Every block buster Indian or English movies are dubbed in Balochi language, with excellent professional audio quality, these videos usually run at local Lyari cables or can be found in VCD/DVDs at Jan Video, Rainbow Centre, Saddar, Karachi. These are the only Balochi artists from Lyari, otherwise in Iranian & Pakistani Balochistan and abroad at Europe there are a large number of Baloch singers & musicians.


Currently after gang war a musical program was organized by a group of youths in Lyari. Actually there is a lack of platform & support from the government & community, otherwise Lyari is full of talents.

Political vacuum….the consequences….

During the gang war, and prior to Benazir Bhutto’s death (when she was at Dubai and PPPs political wheel was stuck), a larger political vacuum was created, which was apparently filled by gangsters but PPPs graph had already went down in Lyari due to behavior of its celebrated leaders & after the murder incident of Murtaza Bhutto. This notion was demonstrated during one of the local elections, when a Baloch candidate, Mama Younus Baloch (from Muslim League Noon group,) also gave a tough time to PPPs candidate (Waja Abdul Khaliq Jumma). But after the death of Benazir Bhutto, the situation is again in the favor of PPP in Lyari i.e. the sacrifice has settled ‘everything’.

The 18th October, 2007 was the day when hundreds of Lyarites lost their lives in a crowded procession during Benazir’s arrival in Karachi, later on 27th December, 2007 (at the time of Benazir’s assassination) the worst kind of riots had erupted in all over country especially in Karachi and Lyari, where dozens of warehouses, shops were looted & burned down by the party workers & gangsters.

Lyari has always remained the experimenting place for religious figures & Jihadist too. It was the time, when Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was out of the picture & 9-11 had already taken place. In these days, Lyari was the abode of so-called religious Pakhtoon extremists. They had carefully chosen this under privileged area for hiring & brain washing innocent Baloch youths for sending them to Jihad in Afghanistan, even drug addicts were not spared. Through the inflammatory speeches many youths, instead of family confrontation had actively participated in ‘Jihad’ at Afghanistan & lost their lives. With their increasing religious influences many Madarassas were also built up in the area, resultantly, people have become more & more religious, these impressions are visible like thousands of years old cultural traits have also been abandoned like majority of women are tending to use ‘full burqa’ with black hand gloves & socks, instead of wearing Balochi Chahdar.


Still now Lyari is the favorite visiting place for religious elements, every now & then a Moulvi with loudspeaker can be heard in un-usual times.

Even these incidents & drawbacks, Balochs are assumed to be more tolerant & peaceful people than any other community in Karachi. For example, there do live a little population of Hindus, Christians at Bangi Para, also there are Memons, Kachis, Bohris at Chakiwara, & some minority of Pakhtuns, & Urdu speaking masses together with Balochs but one can hardly hear any major clash with them. During the time of Indo Pak partition & riots, majority of Hindu families were protected by Balochs, except some later incidents where MQM terrorists had attacked some Baloch areas at Osmanabad and situation got worst, but in no case the majority of common people were involved.

The Present Lyari, hopes & fears…

Due to rise of gang actions i.e. routine target killings, firing, clash with police, seizure of shops, economical, political, cultural & sports activities were also halted. Majority of victims were Balochs & non Baloch shop owners were also forced for closure of their business or asked to pay extortions. In this phase, various families of affected areas also migrated to other part of Karachi. During this time, gangsters also looted empty houses by blowing them out through hand-granads. It was the scene of total destruction, people were without food & water, schools were closed down. Finally a complete clean-up operation was carried out by the government. But the main characters of gangsters went underground or fled away to interior Iranian or Pakistani Balochistan, while few main characters have now diluted themselves into politics.

The death of daughter of East, and Lyari ki Beeti have brought more miseries for Lyarites, as many of youths are still without jobs, which were earlier promised for them. Recently several processions & agitations were & still being recorded by Baloch Youths & PPPs co-workers. Many people of Lyari still believe that Zardari is directly or indirectly involved in Murtaza Bhutto & Benazir Bhutto’s murder and prior to Benazir murder & during her reign as a Prime Minster, when Murtaza was killed by agencies, Zardari had already become a disliked person in the area.

It is said that time is a great healer, thanks to the peace, revival of political, cultural & business activities in the locality, people are again coming back to life…The two rival gangs aka Rehman & Arshad Pappu groups have already bound with a peace agreement. Presently, many walls of Lyari can be seen with writings like Tera bhai mera bhai Khan bhai Khan bhai…. As Mr. Khan (former Rehman dacoit) has amalgamated himself into the politics. But really, he is doing some marvelous jobs for the poor localities like providing door to door supply of drinking water, reconstruction of sewerage lines & roads, eradication of gang activities i.e. extortions & mobile snatching incidents are also rare in the area.

The custom, foods, streets, places….
If watched over Google Earth many streets of Lyari depicts like jumble of labyrinths, here is a land problem. This area is thickly populated and holds vertical expansion, 3-4 multi storied houses are built upon 40-80 sq yards area, yet property value is still in the limits, the reason is Balochs normally do not sell their homes, many houses are from the time of pre-partition and were the property of Hindus. Even during the worst gang war, the people who had early migrated to other areas have now come back. However, at road’s corner construction of new flats can be observed, where minimum value of a flat is Rs.7-10 lacs. Usually these flats have been owned by rich Baloch families, many of whom are landlords or Dubai settled. The parking of these roads also packed with 4 wheels, land-cruisers. Fashionable beauty parlors, saloons can also be found over there. In the evening these flat dwellers rich youths can be seen walking in shorts while wearing headphones, while at the same place there are youths of old Mohalla working in Auto shops / garages in grease tainted clothes or selling mangoes / dates.

Jatpat or Kachi Market is a famous market near Chakiwara, Lyari, majority of Balochs from Gul Muhammad Lane, Singo Lane, Kalakot, and Bihaar Colony, even from Shershah or Hub Chowki do shop here. This market is amazing, everything which is related to Balochs are sold here. Be it Balochi darman (Balochi herbs), Balochi embroidery, soren machchi (salted dried fish), goraku (a kind of tobacco used in tobacco pipe / blower often known as Chillims), Iranian dates or goods like detergents, carpets, grease / motor oil, chappal, petrol / oil etc, even Iranian medicines are sold here, which are not common in any other part of Karachi. Goods transport facility from Lyari to interior part of Balochistan (which is a direct route to Iran) is also situated here.


This place is also a famous food street in Lyari, where Burger, Haleem, Chicken Tikka, Quorma, Qeema Paratha, Seekh Kabab, tea, milk & sweet shops, bakery can be found. Recently a Loss Vegas styled Wheel of Fortune (gambling centre) has also been set-up with the auspicious of Khan & Police Bhai. The ‘official timings’ of this wheel of fortune is after Nimaz-e-Maghrib, when crowds gather. The other traditional food specialty of Lyari are fried fish & its eggs (machi-e-aik) when fishing season is on, the famous sheek (seekh) is another fiesta where mutton, fat, liver & other ‘eatable organs’ are roasted on coals.

At Hasht Chowk, where good transporters & various hotels are present there is also a foot place. The famous Chicke Chargha is sold here. Actually Hasht Chowk is a round about (can be seen over Google Earth) with road ways to 8 different directions, however this place remained quite notorious for mobile & money snatching as I’m too one of the victims.

The closure…

In this beautiful magical labyrinth, every Baloch is becoming a hopeful person, they are learning from their past, they are now more committed with their future, they want to survive in this mega multi ethnic jungle i.e. Karachi. But they love their abode, no matter if it is the stink of garbage or hashish or donkey’s shit, in Lyari Baloch natives will always prefer to live with their own people, as they don’t want to separate with their unique heritage, loving memories of childhood, because for Baloch Lyarites there is no other beautiful place in the world but LYARI.


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