Lyari, a Karachi town, has hit headlines after featuring in the Bollywood blockbuster Dhurandhar. The film highlights the town's connection to terrorism and its notorious underworld nexus. Lyari is known as a 'no-go' area due to lawlessness, politically motivated violence, and a lack of law enforcement presence.
The town has a population of about one million people and has a reputation for being beyond the limits of law. It has been a hotspot of gang violence, particularly from the 1980s to the early 2010s, and has been associated with turf wars, political patronage networks, and lawlessness.
Rehman Dakait, a notorious gang leader, played a significant role in Lyari's law-and-order crisis. His eventual killing in a police encounter marked a turning point, highlighting the state's efforts to dismantle gang structures in the locality.
Despite its notorious reputation, Lyari has a rich cultural identity and is widely regarded as Pakistan's football hub. The sport enjoys a grassroots popularity unmatched by cricket in the rest of the country.
Residents of Lyari have demanded monetary benefits from the makers of Dhurandhar, seeking a share of the film's earnings for the welfare of their city.
