JIWANI: People from Karachi’s Lyari, who had roots in Jiwani are migrating there due to security issues, it emerged here on Tuesday.

“There are some 200 to 300 families from Lyari settled in Jiwani now. They are economic migrants really. The security situation back in Lyari was keeping them from earning their livelihood,” said Commander West, Commodore Naghman Chaudhry while speaking to the media during a tour of Pakistan Navy's facilities built for the development of the area.

“These people had left for Karachi in search of a better life years ago so they had some relations still living here. They are mostly fisherfolk and those who are not involved in the diesel and petrol business. This way they are generating Rs300 to Rs2,000 a day,” he informed.

“The people of the area also have relations with the people living across the border in Iran. Due to this they are allowed within 70kms into Iran while Iranian nationals are allowed 70kms inside Pakistan. Some also carry dual nationalities. And those who don’t are usually allowed in by the deputy commissioners on both sides. They are also fluent in Balochi and Persian. This is also how the diesel and petrol comes here while Pakistani goods are taken out. We understand that it all comes under smuggling but putting a stop to that hurts their livelihood and may cultivate militancy,” Commodore Chaudhry pointed out.

The commodore said that the navy personnel are familiar with all the people of the area as they keep visiting their villages in order to urge them to send their children to school. “We set up a medical facility here along with a school. The Bahria Model School, Jiwani, started with some 30 children two-and-a-half years ago but it has 300 pupils today. “The navy has also managed to get the women here to come out of their homes as they are provided with work at our industrial homes while also getting jobs as teachers in our model schools, medical aides at our medical facilities or as radio jockeys at our FM station,” he said.

Meanwhile, the commodore when asked why the navy hasn’t yet built a port at Jiwani, said that they had a huge natural deep sea port at nearby Gwadar.

“Jiwani has radars at strategic locations from where we can keep an eye on sea activity including US and Indian vessels. But everyone knows that Gwadar is the best place for a port. Gwadar will be a game changer for Pakistan,” he concluded.