Pakistan’s Lyari defies Bollywood’s gangland label to rise as boxing haven

Article excerpt

Lyari, Karachi's oldest neighborhood, is breaking free from its Bollywood-fueled reputation as a gangland den. The area, where food stalls, football matches, and centuries of history converge, is now emerging as an unlikely boxing hub. A boxing coach is training girls in the district, teaching them to challenge stereotypes about what's possible in their community. The transformation illustrates how Lyari residents are reclaiming their neighborhood's narrative from outsiders' perceptions.