'Lyari Kaur Kinaray: Forgotten Ecologies in a Changed Climate' is the fourth in the five-city masterclass series for 'Ordinary Ecologies of Repair: Youth, Urbanity, and Environmental Change in South Asia'.

The Lyari and Malir rivers occupy Karachi’s residents’ imagination as drainage channels overflowing with waste that is dumped from different parts of the city. These historically rain-fed rivers have experienced profound transformation from socio-ecological spaces to sites of infrastructural development and environmental degradation. The 2025 monsoon rains reminded residents of the presence of the long-forgotten Lyari river as it overflowed, revealing a profound disconnect between the city’s present and its geographical, ecological and cultural past. Climate change compels us to dive into these forgotten pasts, to weave together theoretical reflections, lived experiences, and on-ground knowledges by asking: What can Karachi learn from its past to navigate the current climate crisis?

This masterclass journeys the transformation of Lyari River, with stories of a different past that dates to the 1960s, as narrated by Ramzan Baloch (Writer, Social Activist and resident of Lyari). This is followed by the developmental discourse around river ecologies and the construction of the Lyari Expressway by Dr. Noman Ahmed (Professor and Dean, Department of Architecture, NED University). Faheem Shad (Filmmaker and Founder of MehrGhar) highlights the relationships of Lyari’s youth with the river, local responses, and the anxieties around its future.