ISLAMABAD: The Sindh government has announced a new film, “Mera Layari,” in response to an Indian movie that has faced criticism for what officials say is a negative portrayal of Pakistan and Karachi’s Lyari neighborhood.
"Lyari is not violence—it is culture, peace, talent, and resilience. Next month ‘Mera Lyari’ will release, showing the true face of Lyari: peace, prosperity, and pride,” Memon said in a post on the social platform X.
Pakistani Senior Provincial Minister for Information Sharjeel Inam Memon said the Bollywood film was part of a broader effort to misrepresent Lyari and Pakistan. “[The film] is yet another example of negative propaganda by the Indian film industry," he said.
The promotional posters list Waqas Hassan Rizvi and Sania Sohail as producers and Ayesha Omar as executive producer.
The cast listed includes Dananeer Mobeen, Ayesha Omar, Sammiya Mumtaz, Nayyar Ejaz, Trinette Lucas, Paras Masroor, Adnan Shah Tipu, and Shoaib Khan.
Lyari is located in Karachi South and is home to 9.5 million people, according to Pakistan’s 2023 census.
It is one of the oldest and most densely populated areas of Karachi. It is known for its vibrant Baloch and Sindhi cultures, intense political history, and exceptional passion for sports, particularly football and boxing. It is often referred to as "Mini Brazil" for its widespread love of football.
Lyari-born forward Ghulam Abbas Baloch represented Pakistan’s national football team in the early 1960s.
Lyari is also the hometown of boxer Syed Hussain Shah, who won Pakistan’s only Olympic boxing medal — a bronze in the men’s middleweight division at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
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