Islands controversy lands in SHC

Controversy that erupted between the federal government and Sindh after the issuance of the Pakistan Islands Development Authority (Pida) Ordinance, has landed in court, with the petitioner challenging the handing over of management of islands of Sindh to the federation.

 On Thursday, a two-member bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC), comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Yusuf Ali Saeed, heard the petition and issued notices to the federal and provincial governments to file their replies by October 23.

 Petitioner Shahab Osto Advocate argued in court that the establishment of the Pakistan Island Authority was a violation of the Constitution, while the handing over of the islands to the federation was a violation of the fundamental rights of the people of Sindh.

 He said that the islands of Sindh were legally-owned by the province and in order to get any land from the province, he added, fulfilment of certain required conditions was necessary. The court heard that the limits were amended by an ordinance, which was unconstitutional.

 It emerged last week that President Arif Alvi had promulgated the PIDA ordinance on August 31 to develop the islands off the Karachi coast. However, the Sindh government opposed the ordinance and requested the Centre to withdraw it.

 Earlier this week, Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Zaidi said that the two islands fell in the jurisdiction of the Port Qasim Authority, which is a federal entity. He further argued that Sindh government had given its consent to the construction work on the islands through a letter dated July 6, 2020.

 However, the Sindh government, through a letter to the cabinet division secretary, rolled back its earlier decision to hand over the islands to the federal government. It said that the government engaged with the Centre for the development of Island with certain conditions, which had not been fulfilled.