Sindh rolls back plan to give islands to Centre

Says it had earlier agreed to development of Bundal in ‘good faith’

ISLAMABAD/ KARACHI:

The Sindh government on Wednesday retracted its earlier decision to hand over two islands off the coast of Karachi to the Centre after facing the wrath of rights activists, civil society members and other voices from within the province in the wake of the federal maritime affairs minister’s revelation that the PPP-led administration had itself given its consent to the move in July this year.

In a letter written to the cabinet division secretary, the provincial government informed the Centre about its decision and also demanded that the federal government should withdraw the Pakistan Island Development Authority Ordinance (PIDA) 2020 for the ownership of the twin islands of Bundal and Buddo.

The letter read that on the request of the federal government, the Sindh government, “in good faith”, had agreed for the development of Bundal Island with certain conditions in place including protecting and promoting the legitimate interests of the local fishermen.

“The federal government, instead of fulfilling proper criteria, has unilaterally promulgated Pakistan Development Authority Ordinance, 2020, whereas the ownership of Bundal and Buddo Islands were illegally usurped by the federal government which is a clear and blatant violation of Article 172 (2) of the Constitution,” the letter, written by the provincial government's land utilisation department, added.

“The illegal annexation of the islands is tantamount to changing the boundaries of our province which is again a violation of Article 239 (4) of the Constitution.”

The letter further read that the Sindh cabinet had earlier taken strong exception to the federal government’s move and demanded that the ordinance be withdrawn.

“Due to this illegal, unconstitutional and malafide act, Sindh cabinet has decided not to engage with the federal government for the purpose of developing the island and consequently the letter dated July 6, 2020, of Sindh government is treated as a nullity.”

The provincial government has changed its stance on the matter following a campaign in the province by rights activists, nationalists and civil society members among others.

The federal government's recent announcement of developing new cities on Bundal and Buddo Islands, also known as Bhandar and Dingi Islands in the local lingo, has left thousands in the fishing communities worried.

President Arif Alvi promulgated the ordinance on August 31 but it issued came into the limelight when PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari shared it copy on Twitter, denouncing the move and comparing the "illegal annexation" of the islands to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's actions in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

On Tuesday, the Sindh cabinet unanimously rejected the ordinance and called upon the federal government to withdraw it at once.

However, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi took to Twitter and shared a letter from the Sindh government and a map of the area under the Port Qasim Authority, and claimed that the provincial government had given its consent in July to a construction project in Bundal Island.

“The cat is out of the bag. All can see how hypocritical the PPP leadership is. No unconstitutional steps have been taken on Bundle Island. Attached is a letter dated July 2020 issued by the Sindh government,” the minister wrote.

Speaking in Karachi on Wednesday, Information Minister Shibli Faraz maintained that the Sindh government was politicising the issue of the islands and the federal government had not taken any unconstitutional step.