Twin Islands on Sale

The entire Sindh is protesting against a recent move by the federal government to establish Pakistan Islands Development Authority (PIDA) apparently for the development of the islands on the Sindh and Balochistan coast. People in Sindh term the ordinance an attempt to take control of islands by the federal government, especially the twin islands near Karachi – Dingi and Bhandar located in the territory of Sindh.

President Dr. Arif Alvi had also chaired a meeting in Karachi in which top builders and estate investors including controversial builder Malik Riaz Hussain of Bahria Town also attended. The President had reportedly offered these two islands to national and international investors for investment and development. (Reported by official news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP))

Previously, these twin islands were also offered for sale on at least two occasions, but due to various reasons, the deals still needed to be finalised. The Sindh government had reportedly given official permission for the development of islands, which the provincial government later denied and also withdrew a notification issued in August in this regard.

Although the ordinance was issued on August 30, 2020, which needed formal approval by the Parliament to make it a law, the Pakistan Peoples Party has announced to oppose it at official forums.

The federal government has already advertised the post to appointment Chairman of the PIDA in the media and it is insisting to go ahead. These islands have also been taken over by Military authorities and common people are not allowed to access those islands, which are mostly inhabited. Local fishermen often use it as their halting spot and there is a Mazar of a Saint in one of the islands, where fishermen visit and an annual Urs is also held.

On October 15, 20202 an NGO of fishermen Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) organised a boat rally, which was attended by over 1100 rights activists and media persons and opposed federal control, but the Maritime Security Agency (MSA) and Coast Guards disallowed the boat riders to access to the islands. This was condemned by the rights activists.

The fishermen population of Sindh’s coast is vocal against the development of these islands as they fear losing their livelihood of fish catch as a result of the difficulty to access these islands. Fishermen of Gizri and other fishing localities have already lost their access to the beaches after the development of DHA colonies along the coast.

The environmentalists also opposed any development of these islands as they fear the loss of mangrove forest cover in the entire coast once development activities are initiated.

The federal government is adamant to hand over these twin islands to the builders especially its blue-eyed Malik Riaz of Bahria Town. An advertisement in the local newspapers published by Bahria Town indicated that these islands may attract huge international investment.

The Bahria Town had indicated launching an Island City where it plans to construct a World’s Tallest Tower, a World’s Largest Shopping Mall, a Sports City, Education and Medical City, International City, Media City and a 3.5km long, six-lane modern bridge built over the sea, which will connect Bahria Town Islands City to DHA Karachi.

A local lawyer Shahab Osto has challenged the federal government’s move to appoint PIDA Chairman and the ordinance in Sindh High Court.

Although a shutter-down strike and a number of protests have been held across Sindh, the provincial government seems reluctant to put a real pressure on the federal government to withdraw its plans as some believe that the Sindh government is already hand in glove with the Bahria Town management as it had already illegally allocated a huge land to the builder in Malir and Jamshoro districts. The fact was accepted by the Sindh government during the Supreme Court’s hearing in a case against Bahria Town.