KARACHI: One of the biggest victims of the collateral damage resulting from a long-standing gang war in the city’s volatile locality of Lyari is sports, an investigation carried out by ‘The News’ has revealed.
As the gang war continues to rage in this sports-mad locality, several sportsmen — many of whom have represented Pakistan at the international level — have left the field of sports to join the battling gangs.
Sometimes they do it because of joblessness and sometimes it’s for revenge.
Lyariites have been known for being passionate sports-lovers; excelling in games like football, swimming, cycling, gymnastics, and donkey-cart racing.
Informed sources said that in recent times dozens of young sportsmen have joined the gang war due to unemployment, hunger, revenge, fear, pressure and the abolishment of sporting activities in Lyari town.
Boxing which is a very popular sport in Lyari is the only sport whose players have offered resistance to that culture, treasurer of Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) Ali Akbar Shah claimed.
But some sources did not agree with PBF’s claim, saying that boxers have also joined the ranks in the war, however, they are less in numbers as compared to other sportsmen.
And due to their involvement in this gang war, many sportsmen have lost their lives.
The most recent case was that of retired footballer Rasheed Usman.
Rasheed, who played for Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and Perwana Sports club in domestic football championships, was shot dead on the first day of Eid-ul-Azha because of the involvement of his son, stated to be member of Arshad Pappu group, in the gang war.
Sources in the Chakiwara, Kalakot, Lee Market, Hasht Chowk, Baghdadi, Nawalane, and some other places disclosed that dozens of club and departmental level footballers and some other sportsmen have been killed in the gang war during the past several years.
Meanwhile, some gymnasts and cyclists, who participated in the regional competitions including national level championships, have also got caught up in this war, a group of cyclists and gymnasts disclosed.
While this story was being investigated, nobody wanted to be named because of fear of their lives and safety of their families but all have various stories about affiliation of players with the gang war and gangster mafia in Lyari.
According to them, nobody wants to get involved in this war but the sportsmen were compelled to join it because they have no other option to survive.
They said that footballers are more affected due to the gang war and majority of the players were professionals and played for various departments but when departments started closing their teams, the players were forced to join in the gang war to earn a living.
An ex-footballer who was once regarded as one of best goalkeeper in Pakistan is currently a part of this gang war, besides several other retried national level players.
On a positive note, however, none of the boxers have indulged so far in this menace. A PBF official said that not a single boxer is involved in the gang war. They swear that they would work in an iron mill but would not take up weapons to make their bread and butter.
It is high time that Sindh Government, NGO’s, political parties and other social organisations take this issue seriously.
“It is time to revive sporting activities and give amnesty to the players provide jobs to eligible sportsmen so that the old sporting atmosphere and environment of Lyari could be revived,” a group of football coaches of various clubs told ‘The News’.
For that to be revived, however, the players should not be treated as criminals because they were compelled and pushed to join the gang war.
“Till 2002, at least 110 football clubs were registered in the defunct district South, and of which at least 100 registered football clubs were operating in Lyari while U12, U16, and U21 teams were separate. But now, only 10 to 15 football clubs are operating in Lyari,” a football lover disclosed.
On an interesting note, the heads of this gang war were also dedicated football lovers.
Some old Lyariites recalled that before Rehman Dacait and Arshad Pappu started operating their groups in Lyari, Kala Nag was the most notorious ring leader in the area — and he was a club-level footballer.
Babu Dacait, a well known and notorious ring leader, played for J- Brothers club and his brother Ashraf Baloch played for the national football team while Rehman Dacait too was a club-level footballer. He played for Nawalain Muhammadan club.
As the gang war continues to rage in this sports-mad locality, several sportsmen — many of whom have represented Pakistan at the international level — have left the field of sports to join the battling gangs.
Sometimes they do it because of joblessness and sometimes it’s for revenge.
Lyariites have been known for being passionate sports-lovers; excelling in games like football, swimming, cycling, gymnastics, and donkey-cart racing.
Informed sources said that in recent times dozens of young sportsmen have joined the gang war due to unemployment, hunger, revenge, fear, pressure and the abolishment of sporting activities in Lyari town.
Boxing which is a very popular sport in Lyari is the only sport whose players have offered resistance to that culture, treasurer of Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) Ali Akbar Shah claimed.
But some sources did not agree with PBF’s claim, saying that boxers have also joined the ranks in the war, however, they are less in numbers as compared to other sportsmen.
And due to their involvement in this gang war, many sportsmen have lost their lives.
The most recent case was that of retired footballer Rasheed Usman.
Rasheed, who played for Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and Perwana Sports club in domestic football championships, was shot dead on the first day of Eid-ul-Azha because of the involvement of his son, stated to be member of Arshad Pappu group, in the gang war.
Sources in the Chakiwara, Kalakot, Lee Market, Hasht Chowk, Baghdadi, Nawalane, and some other places disclosed that dozens of club and departmental level footballers and some other sportsmen have been killed in the gang war during the past several years.
Meanwhile, some gymnasts and cyclists, who participated in the regional competitions including national level championships, have also got caught up in this war, a group of cyclists and gymnasts disclosed.
While this story was being investigated, nobody wanted to be named because of fear of their lives and safety of their families but all have various stories about affiliation of players with the gang war and gangster mafia in Lyari.
According to them, nobody wants to get involved in this war but the sportsmen were compelled to join it because they have no other option to survive.
They said that footballers are more affected due to the gang war and majority of the players were professionals and played for various departments but when departments started closing their teams, the players were forced to join in the gang war to earn a living.
An ex-footballer who was once regarded as one of best goalkeeper in Pakistan is currently a part of this gang war, besides several other retried national level players.
On a positive note, however, none of the boxers have indulged so far in this menace. A PBF official said that not a single boxer is involved in the gang war. They swear that they would work in an iron mill but would not take up weapons to make their bread and butter.
It is high time that Sindh Government, NGO’s, political parties and other social organisations take this issue seriously.
“It is time to revive sporting activities and give amnesty to the players provide jobs to eligible sportsmen so that the old sporting atmosphere and environment of Lyari could be revived,” a group of football coaches of various clubs told ‘The News’.
For that to be revived, however, the players should not be treated as criminals because they were compelled and pushed to join the gang war.
“Till 2002, at least 110 football clubs were registered in the defunct district South, and of which at least 100 registered football clubs were operating in Lyari while U12, U16, and U21 teams were separate. But now, only 10 to 15 football clubs are operating in Lyari,” a football lover disclosed.
On an interesting note, the heads of this gang war were also dedicated football lovers.
Some old Lyariites recalled that before Rehman Dacait and Arshad Pappu started operating their groups in Lyari, Kala Nag was the most notorious ring leader in the area — and he was a club-level footballer.
Babu Dacait, a well known and notorious ring leader, played for J- Brothers club and his brother Ashraf Baloch played for the national football team while Rehman Dacait too was a club-level footballer. He played for Nawalain Muhammadan club.
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