The idea of building a new city on twin islands of Bundal (or Bhindar in local language) and Dingi, spread over 17,000 hectares did not go down well with the environmentalists and a section of the local population. The proposed offshore city, according to environmentalists, can pose a major threat to not only marine life and biodiversity but also the livelihood of thousands of local fishermen.

Threat of cyclone, Tsunami: These islands off the country’s sprawling coastal belt serve as a buffer. Mangroves forests are the natural wall. Destruction of these forests means an increased threat of cyclone and it could even trigger tsunamis. “We have been facing unpredictable climate events since 2015. Nature is giving us warnings, but we are not paying heed. Our preparedness is not sufficient to face the music in case of any eventuality,” say Rafiul Haque, a Karachi-based environmentalist.

The idea of islands development from a tourism point of view is also not a good one. Take the example of Thailand’s famous tourist resort, Phuket that was washed away by the 2004 devastating tsunami.
“Risk factor remains slim if these islands are left in their original form and shape. It would also put in danger federal assets worth trillions of dollars in case of the cyclone or tsunami,” Haque opined.

Building a new city on the twin islands, he went on to argue, would also hit the livelihood of fishermen and reduce their liberty of movement, which subsequently increased their operational expense.
Cost of development: With the rise of a new city off the coast, thousands of fishing grounds would vanish, following the destruction of ecosystems and marine life.

Thousands of fishermen will lose their livelihood and face the consequences in the form of unemployment, poverty and hunger, according to Haque. Increase in unemployment, poverty, deprivation of thousands of fishermen from livelihood, destruction of marine life and an ecosystem would not be in compliance with UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). Pakistan was the first country that adopted SDG’s 2030.

Danger for marine life, bio diversity: Mangroves surrounding Dingi and Bundal Islands serve as nurseries for shrimp, fish, turtles and other species. In winters, hundreds of thousands of migratory birds travel from Central Asia to Pakistan’s warm waters to spend the harsh winters every year, and also find refuge in these mangrove forests.

Regional Director, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Pakistan , Dr. Tahir Rashid says these islands are very important for the diverse ecosystems and the biodiversity. Some of the unique species like marine turtles, sea snakes, birds, and plants are found only around these islands. The people of Ibrahim Hyderi, Rehri Goth and Chashma village are heavily dependent on these islands as far as marine resources are concerned.

Chairman Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum(PFF) Muhammad Ali Shah dubs the idea as attack on the livelihood of fishermen and destructive to the sea. “From the silt of River Indus, at least 300 big and small islands were created over the years along the coastal belt of Sindh. Creeks near these islands were used by fishing boats. The mangroves forests serve as fish and shrimp nurseries, while these creeks from Karachi to Thatta serve as fishing grounds for the fishermen,“ he said.

Construction of the offshore city, he thought, would affect 800,000 fishermen, who have already been living below the poverty line. Cultural Value: Another aspect related to Bundal Island revolves around cultural and spiritualism. There is a strong cultural binding of local communities with these islands as there is a shrine of Muslim sufi saint Yousuf Shah located in Bundal Island.

Thousands of people attend his “urs” (religious festival) every year. A three-day festival also attracts thousands of locals annually. “We have to calculate echo system services and valuation of both islands. A detailed validation should be carried out from a third party that tells us the importance of these islands from the ecological point of view,“ Rasheed observed.

Not a new idea: Construction of the proposed city on the twin islands is not a new idea. In the past, twice attempts were made in 2000 and 2006- by the then government of Gen. Pervez Musharraf to materialize the idea. However, a tough resistance from environmental organizations and local population forced the former military ruler to back down.

In 2013, the Pakistan Peoples Party government also tried to develop the islands but the Supreme Court of Pakistan thwarted the attempt. The PTI government, late last month, through a presidential ordinance, took control of the island, a move that invited ire from the local population and the political parties.  Bowing to public outcry, The Sindh government, which earlier did not object to the federal government’s move, also opposed the idea.