Pakistani girls show their painted hands, a day before the start of soccer world cup, in Multan, Pakistan.[filephoto]

He knows that while the residents of his Lyari district in the port city sit rivetted infront of televisions watching the World Cup, he will not have to deal with the usual daily flurry of street crime and drug abuse.

"Soccer is like a religion for them," Baloch said.

"They support Brazil just like they would Pakistan."

Lyari, one of the oldest and most densely populated parts of the city, is plagued by street crime, drugs, unemployment and deprivation but Baloch said during the World Cup there was a noticeable fall-off in crime.

"The youngsters and agitated elders forget their miseries and just pray for Brazil," he told Reuters.

Police confirmed there were fewer reports of street crime while the World Cup was on.

Lyari is known in Pakistan for being a soccer hotbed, with a majority of its youngsters opting to play the game instead of the national sport of cricket.

BRAVING MOSQUITOS

Lyari, which has a population of 1.6 million, has 140 registered soccer clubs and many of the country's top players emerge from the area.

District officials and some enterprising residents have set up large screens in narrow, winding streets crammed with small houses. Televisions are placed outside most clubs and tea shops.

Many youngsters wear the distinctive yellow Brazilian shirts and the Brazilian flag flies from rooftops and is painted on walls.

Brazil's victory over Australia on Sunday was greeted with fireworks and cheering and dancing by supporters who braved mosquitoes and uncomfortable wooden benches to watch the match.

"We support Brazil win because they play football the way it should be played," said resident Maula Baksh.

Pakistan has never played in the World Cup finals.