BADIN/THATTA, July 8: With a surge in violence in the Lyari area of Karachi over the past few days, several families have left the strife-torn locality and taken refuge in Badin and Thatta districts.

In Badin district most families are staying at various shrines and some have been taken in by their relatives. More than 40 families are staying at the Shah Ghurio Talhar shrine and nearly 25 families have taken refuge at the Shah Hussain shrine.

About 15 families have taken shelter at the Ahmed Rajo Shaheed Fazal Rahu shrine. More than 35 families are living with their relatives in Badin district.

According to the internally displaced persons, the number of fleeing families will continue to increase in the coming days.

“We are not hopeful of improvement in the situation in Lyari and that is why we have been compelled to leave our homes and businesses,” said Mohammad Ismail Bhatti.

Mohammad Ismail Rahu, former Badin Municipal Committee councillor, confirmed the surge of families from Lyari to Badin over the past three days.

Meanwhile in Thatta on Sunday evening, Kutchhi families, including women and children, staged a protest and sit-in in front of the Dhabeji Press Club. The protesters — who had arrived in Thatta from the Kalri, Agra Taj Colony and Shah Latif Colony areas in Lyari — said they had been residing in Lyari for a long time but owing to violence between powerful rival groups they were compelled to leave their homes and properties and take refuge with their relatives in Thatta district.

They also said that many of their young people had been killed and several injured during the ongoing fighting. The protesters added that the Sindh government and the President of Pakistan were aware of the prevalent situation in Lyari and those who were behind it.

The families appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, interior minister and the provincial government to protect them and safely rehabilitate them in Lyari in Karachi.

During the protest former MPA Ghulam Qadir Palijo and Pakistan Peoples Party Sindh Council member Malik Luqman Malkani met the affected families and expressed sympathy over their plight. Mr Palijo pledged to make efforts for their rehabilitation.

Chairman of the Jeay Sindh Mahaz Riaz Chandio also met the protesters and expressed his concern over the provincial government’s apathy towards their plight and urged the government to take appropriate measures for their rehabilitation and protection.

According to the protesters they knew a number of families from Bihar Colony, Al-Falah Road, Phoolpatti Lane, Haji Bachal Road, Ali Mohammd Mohalla and Rahemabad from Lyari who had taken refuge in Umerkot and Tando Mohammad Khan.

The violence in Lyari has been going on since July 4 when it was triggered by rumors about kidnapping and killing of Kutchhis leading to an exchange of fire between the Kutchhis and Balochs.