Gujjar Nala

Gujjhar River or Gujjar Stream (Urdu: گُجر نالہ) is among the main streams of Karachi besides Orangi Stream. The river is named after Gujjars who are a major group in the region. Gujjars are native to the region and embraced Islam during the Medieval India period and onwards. The Gujjhar River is a small ephemeral stream that flows through the Pakistani megacity of Karachi from north east (New Karachi Sector 11J) to the center and merges with Lyari River (in Liaqatabad) before draining into the Arabian Sea.^[1]

In May 2021, Awami Workers Party of Pakistan organised a demonstration for the victims of illegal evictions on the order of the Supreme Court in the Gujjar Nala and Orangi Nala areas of Karachi. A leader of the Gujjar Nala affected people, Abid Asghar reportedly said, "We have spent our childhood and youth in these houses. For you, these buildings are stone and mortar, but for us they are our life. Our only demand is that this operation be halted until we are given alternative housing in the same district, as per the order of the Supreme Court."^[2][3]

The Conversation of the Gujjars to Islam began in the 11th century, but the majority adopted Islam during the 16th century under Muslim rule in the Indian subcontinent, largely Gujjars converted through influence of Sufism becoming Sunni Muslims