Khajji Ground
کھجی گراؤنڈ | |
 Interactive map of Khajji Ground | |
| Location | Gulbahar, near Golimar, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 24°53′41″N 67°01′26″E / 24.89472°N 67.02389°E |
| Operator | Karachi Metropolitan Corporation |
| Type | Playground and public open space |
Khajji Ground, also spelled Khaji Ground, is an open ground in the Gulbahar and Golimar area of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.[1][2] It is used as a playground and is situated adjacent to a graveyard.[2][3]
History
[edit]During the 1990s, the area surrounding Khajji Ground was identified as a focal point of civil unrest and military engagement, specifically during Operation Clean-up, where casualties from factional violence were discarded during this period.[4][5] In 1995, a nearby girls' primary school was occupied by police forces, affecting access for residents of adjacent neighbourhoods such as Mohammadabad and Waheedabad.[4]
Following security operations involving the Pakistan Rangers, the ground resumed utility as a recreational space. By the early 2000s, it was used for organized sports fixtures and public festivals.[6]
During the 2010s, law enforcement agencies recovered weapons buried within the vicinity of the graveyard.[7][8][9] During the 2010s and 2020s, the adjacent Khajji Ground graveyard was used for burials connected to Gulbahar and adjacent neighbourhoods.[10][11] Targeted killings and shootings in the vicinity were periodically reported in the Rizvia police station limits and nearby parts of Golimar and Gulbahar.[12] In 2025, further arms recovery operations were reported connected to the site.[13]
In March 2025, a petition was filed with the Sindh High Court regarding the use of the ground for garbage dumping and the presence of encroachments.[14] In May 2025, the court directed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to undertake restoration activities.[2] Subsequent hearings in August 2025 involved summons for municipal officials to address encroachment clearance and funding for rehabilitation.[15][16]
References
[edit]- ^ https://www.bbc.com/urdu/pakistan-52899681
- ^ a b c "SHC directs KMC to restore Khajji Ground". The News International. 29 May 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Khajji Ground becomes garbage dump". The Express Tribune. 31 March 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ a b "KARACHI: Police occupying girls school since '95". Dawn. 2 May 2003. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "NA-247: It is here the seeds of ethnic divide were sown". The Express Tribune. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Pakistan Day sports festival starts on Friday". Dawn. 25 March 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Rangers, police recover weapons buried in Karachi cemetery". The News International. 28 August 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Another cache of arms found in graveyard". Dawn. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Finance director of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital remanded in weapons case". Dawn. 29 August 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "'Sectarian killing' sparks violence in Gulbahar". Dawn. 18 August 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Under attack: Slain MQM workers laid to rest". The Express Tribune. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Violent times: Two men gunned down in targeted attacks, two bodies found". The Express Tribune. 24 April 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "کراچی میں گلبہار کے کھجی گراؤنڈ سے دبایا گیا اسلحہ برآمد". Geo News (in Urdu). December 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Petitioners told to approach anti-encroachment tribunal for restoring Khajji Ground". The News International. 17 March 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "SHC summons top officials on petition against encroachment". The Express Tribune. 22 August 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "کھجی گراؤنڈ میں تجاوزات کے معاملے پر میئر کراچی سندھ ہائیکورٹ طلب". Daily Jang (in Urdu). May 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.