In Pictures

In pictures: Karachi’s political graffiti

In Pakistan’s largest city, political parties use banners and street art to display their control of neighbourhoods.

Karachi''s political graffiti — The MQM is the dominant political party in the city. This sign shows Altaf Hussain, the party(***)s founder and leader, welcoming people to the party(***)s headquarters and Hussain(***)s old residence, named "Nine-Zero" after the house(***)s old telephone number.

Karachi, Pakistan – In this city, the largest in the country, politics is heavily infused with issues of ethnicity and geography: in a city where almost everyone is a migrant, on some level, it is significant to assert not just where party supporters are from, but what parts of the city they now occupy.

Political parties will use graffiti, flags and banners, then, to do everything from simply spreading their slogans to challenging the hold of a rival party over an area.

MQM leader — Pictures of Altaf Hussain, who has been living in exile in London for two decades, dot areas of Karachi under the MQM(***)s control. Hussain is respected with almost saint-like reverence by MQM activists.

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Local MQM sector offices will often paint the party(***)s colours near the entrances and exits of their areas of influence.

The Awami National Party (ANP), a Pashtun nationalist party, holds much support in Pashtun-dominated areas of the city. They have decked this bridge with their traditional red, and slogans supporting the party(***)s Karachi leadership.

The Awami National Party (ANP), a Pashtun nationalist party, holds much support in Pashtun-dominated areas of the city. They have decked this bridge with their traditional red, and slogans supporting the party(***)s Karachi leadership.

Large bridges and intersections often serve as interfaces for rival parties(***) graffiti. Here, one can see the ANP(***)s columns challenged by the Jamaat-e-Islami(***)s beam above them.

Large bridges and intersections often serve as interfaces for rival parties(***) graffiti.

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The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) was once the dominant party in Karachi, but has since lost much of its political votebank to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). This piece of graffiti, on the walls of Islamia College, calls on people to join the religious JI party(***)s ranks.

The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) was once the dominant party in Karachi, but has since lost much of its political votebank to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). This piece of graffiti, on the walls of Islamia College, shows the party(***)s logo.

The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) was once the dominant party in Karachi, but has since lost much of its political votebank to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). This piece of graffiti, near the JI(***)s headquarters, calls for an "Islamic revolution".

Even streetlight poles aren(***)t safe from political advertisements in Karachi. This one, in the Clifton Cantonment area, is decked out in the colours of the MQM.

Flags play an important role in asserting a party(***)s control over a neighbourhood. This MQM flag is just one of many that fly high over the party(***)s stronghold of Nazimabad.

Flags play an important role in asserting a party(***)s control over a neighbourhood. This Jamaat-e-Islami flag flies near the city(***)s Globe Intersection, in Jamshed Quarters.

The Bhutto family is at the centre of much of the Pakistan People(***)s Party(***)s (PPP) support. This piece of graffiti is a common slogan for the party: "Long live the Bhuttos, long live [assassinated former chairperson] Benazir Bhutto!"

The PPP(***)s distinctive tri-colour flag is a common feature of most of the party(***)s graffiti.

Lyari is traditionally a Pakistan People(***)s Party (PPP) stronghold, but the party has attracted the anger of residents by recently ordering a police operation against its erstwhile local political allies. This wall, still showing an old painting of the PPP(***)s election symbol, was sprayed with bullets during the operation.

Lyari is traditionally a Pakistan People(***)s Party (PPP) stronghold, but the party has attracted the anger of residents by ordering a recent police operation against its erstwhile local political allies. This graffiti, calling on people to vote for the PPP(***)s candidates, now also featured several bullet holes.

Trees, too, aren(***)t quite safe from the political parties: these, located in a park near the Mausoleum of Pakistan(***)s founder, are painted in the three colours of the PPP.

This Pakistan People(***)s Party sign, in the crime-ridden Lyari neighbourhood, shows Uzair Baloch (left), Abdul Rehman Baloch (right) and former PPP chairperson and twice prime minister Benazir Bhutto (centre). The PPP has since disavowed both men, terming them "gangsters". Rehman was killed in a police "encounter" in 2009.

The Sunni Tehreek (ST) is a minority party in the city, and does not hold any seats in the government, but since relaunching its political wing it has been gaining influence in the metropolis.