Ismail extends olive branch over isles

Sindh not ready to negotiate, says minister; boat rally turned away from Dingi

Even with Sindh Governor Imran Ismail claiming the Centre was keen to address grievances about developing the twin islands of Bhandar and Dingi, over 1,000 participants of a boat rally were denied access to Dingi on Thursday.

Over the past few weeks, the tussle between the federal and Sindh governments has intensified, both unwilling to withdraw from their position on developing cities on the isles off Karachi’s shores.

President Arif Alvi had earlier promulgated the Pakistan Islands Development Authority (PIDA) Ordinance, for the development and management of islands in Pakistan’s internal and territorial waters.

While the Sindh government initially supported it, loud hue and cry led to a change in its stance and it now maintains the ordinance will trample the rights of the islands’ residents and usurp the province’s authority.

“The Centre will address the Sindh government’s grievances and the province will retain ownership [of the islands],” insisted Ismail during a press conference. Besides, he added, Sindh will have rights over income generated from the islands after their development.

He also gave assurances no development work would begin on the islands without the consent of the Sindh government and environmental experts. “The rights of fishermen and the indigenous population will be protected.”

Ismail said the Centre was willing to discuss the ordinance’s clauses with the Sindh government, civil society and environmental experts.

Development plans

Despite these assurances, there was no hint of the Centre abandoning its plans for the islands.

Rather, elaborating on the Centre’s vision, Ismail said modern cities along the lines of forest cities in Singapore, Sri Lanka and China would be set up there.

“This will be the first green island in Pakistan, a game changer for Pakistan’s economy,” the governor enthused, adding that an initial investment of around $50 billion would be made for the project.

He claimed it would not just attract foreign investment, but also provide livelihoods to many.

Sindh holds firm

On the other hand, Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah asserted that the provincial government had rejected the ordinance and would not negotiate with the Centre about it.

Responding to Ismail’s comments, he said, “We stick to our demand of the Centre withdrawing the ordinance without delay,” adding that the islands were the Sindh government’s property and no construction could begin without its consent.

“Some have challenged it in court and Sindh’s people have rejected it. How can we support it?” he questioned.

According to sources in the Sindh government, who requested anonymity, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) also intends to submit a resolution against the ordinance in the next Sindh Assembly session.

“The pressure is mounting and many hold the PPP leadership responsible for [the ordinance’s promulgation]. People want it rejected on the assembly floor, so a resolution is in the offing,” a PPP minister told The Express Tribune.

Denied access

Meanwhile, the participants of a boat rally heading towards Bhandar and Dingi were denied access to the latter by security forces.

Over 1,000 protesters, led by the Samoondi Bait Bachayo Tehreek (Save Sea Islands Movement), assembled at Ibrahim Hyderi and moved towards Dingi Island, where they were halted by security personnel. They then turned towards Bhandar, where low tides prevented the protesters from disembarking.

Shouting slogans against the Pakistan Island Development Authority Ordinance and bitterly criticising the federal government, the protesters termed the Centre’s move “illegal occupation of Sindh’s land.”

Complaining that they were not allowed to visit Dingi, SBBT leader and Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum chairperson Muhammad Ali Shah pointed out the islands were not prohibited areas. “Tomorrow, the state will declare the sea as a prohibited area,” he remarked, telling The Express Tribune they had seen that development had been initiated on the islands.

Voicing the fishermen’s demands, he said they wanted the revocation of the PIDA ordinance and an immediate stop to development on the twin islands.

Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party chairperson Dr Qadir Magsi told The Express Tribune that at least five boats full of armed personnel had blocked the rally’s route to Dingi. “We tried to tell them the participants were local fishermen and residents of Sindh. But they did not let us visit the island.”

He insisted that it was the Sindh government’s responsibility to clarify matters. “Sindh’s people should be informed who has occupied the island and what is happening there,” he asserted, asking the chief minister and provincial cabinet to visit the islands themselves. “Development has begun already. Dingi has been sealed off for common fishermen.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2020.