LIFE in the old and densely-populated Karachi neighbourhood of Lyari is often sandwiched between gang-wars and a lack of educational facilities. It really takes some guts to be a resident of Lyari, which is inhabited by people from various ethnicities, classes, castes, cultures and religions. Besides, the young have often expressed their positive energy in the game of football, but there is no dearth of those who want to get out of the mess taking the academic route. For this, they depend on libraries that paint a bleak picture.

The Mulla Fazul Hall Library is a case in point. Established in the 1980s, it was known as the Lyari Textbook Library in its early days. It facilitated the studies of thousands of students over the years till a bill was passed by the Sindh government in 2021 to demolish the library and construct a modern one with an auditorium. The community was assured that the facility was not being closed, and would be moved to a temporary space where the students would be able to continue their studies. It has been more than two decades, but that ‘modern’ library is still not there.

As for the temporary space, the library was relocated to the Football House in Chakiwara where for years, the books remained scattered and there was no proper seating arrangement or washroom facilities for the students. Even today, the place is infested with mosquitoes that disrupt the studying process and increase the risk of vector-borne diseases. The visiting students do the cleaning themselves every single day to keep the facility functional.

Despite submitting applications, the students have never received anything beyond empty assurances. The relevant authorities should look into the matter urgently and ensure that the repair work of the old library is completed forthwith.

Hazaran Rahim Dad
Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2024