‘Tehreek Chalao, Sahil Bachao’
April 30, 2007
Karachi
People from different walks of life participated in the “Sahil Bachao Walk,” which was held along Karachi’s coastline in the Clifton area on Sunday, to protest against the DHA’s Beach Development Plan.
The walk was a part of the ‘Sahil Bachao Tehreek,’ initiated by different NGOs and people from different professions. During the walk, participants held banners, distributed flyers and conversed with the visitors regarding the beach development plan.
Participants of the walk had much to say.
“Karachi is a highly over-built city as there are no parks and recreational areas. When someone comes in from other parts of the country, or from abroad, the beach is the first place they are taken to,” said Duria Kazi, who teaches at Karachi University. She said that the Clifton beach is already partially commercialised, and whatever is left must not become commercial at any cost.
“Sahil Bachao is one of our Joint Action Committee (JAC) movements. We all want development, but not like this. We want to save our beaches and do not want to just sell them in this manner,” said Seema Sheikh from Aurat Foundation, who was there with her family. Her family, too, expressed their reservations when asked for their view. “Our seashore is being snatched from us. Access for the common man’s would become really difficult once this development take place.”
The participants emphasised that they had been enjoying the sea for ages, but, if this development is carried out, future generations would be deprived.
If this materialises, five or ten years from now, people will look at the high-rises and regret why they did not stop it. Through this ‘tehreek,’ we want to build public consensus at the initial stage, so that they come forward and demand their right, said Haroon Ahmed, a psychiatrist.
Many of the vendors have already been evacuated from the beach; whoever is left, including the camel men, will be deprived of their income very soon, added Ahmed. Karachi’s beach is the right of every citizen of Pakistan ñ regardless of whether one’s financial status.
The Sindh High Court had decided that development should be done in such a manner so that the access of common citizens is not restricted. However, the Sahil Bachao Coalition believes that the development would undoubtedly restrict the common man from accessing the beach.
“The beach is an outlet for all citizens, which will be taken from them. The government and the concerned authorities work in a manner they perceive to be right. But our responsibility as citizens is to tell them what we think is not being done right, said Akeel Bilgrami, a renowned architect and ex-president of Institute of Architects, Pakistan (IAP). “Eventually, authorities are responsible, but we must do our best by conveying our views on the plan,” he added.
“The public is already being charged everywhere in the city for entertainment. The beach is one place they should be able to enjoy free of cost,” said Aaliya Nisar, a photographer.
Zakia Sarwar, an educationist, said that she is extremely concerned about this development, which is going to bar a lot of the common folk, refraining them from enjoying the, ‘one natural place we have in the city, which is also no costly to enjoy.’ She added that a large number of shopkeepers and members of the working class go to the sea after their hectic working day in order to just relax.
A student of Grade 11, Madiha Hussain, said that she and her classmates were completely against the privatisation of the beach and would participate in activities to stop this.
However, there were also some people present who seemed less bothered and concerned by what may happen. “We’ll see when it will happenÖ why to worry now,” said one family when asked about their view on the development plan at the beach. Many others, more cynical with their views, were just making fun of the walk participants.
It may be mentioned here that the Sahil Bachao Coalition is a group of Karachi residents, including lawyers, artists, architects, teachers, physicians and other professionals.
The coalition is mobilising against DHA’s illegal construction plans along Karachi’s Clifton Beach. However, the number of participants seemed to be lesser this time as compared to the previous walk held two weeks ago.
Expressing their fears and doubts to The News, vendors at sea view said that they are against the development of the beach, which, they say, would snatch away their source of income as a result which their families would suffer badly.
However one, more optimistic, vendor, who has been earning bread at the Clifton Beach since 10 years now, said that it doesn’t make a difference to him. “I believe I’ll get my livelihood from somewhere else if not from here.”
People from different walks of life participated in the “Sahil Bachao Walk,” which was held along Karachi’s coastline in the Clifton area on Sunday, to protest against the DHA’s Beach Development Plan.
The walk was a part of the ‘Sahil Bachao Tehreek,’ initiated by different NGOs and people from different professions. During the walk, participants held banners, distributed flyers and conversed with the visitors regarding the beach development plan.
Participants of the walk had much to say.
“Karachi is a highly over-built city as there are no parks and recreational areas. When someone comes in from other parts of the country, or from abroad, the beach is the first place they are taken to,” said Duria Kazi, who teaches at Karachi University. She said that the Clifton beach is already partially commercialised, and whatever is left must not become commercial at any cost.
“Sahil Bachao is one of our Joint Action Committee (JAC) movements. We all want development, but not like this. We want to save our beaches and do not want to just sell them in this manner,” said Seema Sheikh from Aurat Foundation, who was there with her family. Her family, too, expressed their reservations when asked for their view. “Our seashore is being snatched from us. Access for the common man’s would become really difficult once this development take place.”
The participants emphasised that they had been enjoying the sea for ages, but, if this development is carried out, future generations would be deprived.
If this materialises, five or ten years from now, people will look at the high-rises and regret why they did not stop it. Through this ‘tehreek,’ we want to build public consensus at the initial stage, so that they come forward and demand their right, said Haroon Ahmed, a psychiatrist.
Many of the vendors have already been evacuated from the beach; whoever is left, including the camel men, will be deprived of their income very soon, added Ahmed. Karachi’s beach is the right of every citizen of Pakistan ñ regardless of whether one’s financial status.
The Sindh High Court had decided that development should be done in such a manner so that the access of common citizens is not restricted. However, the Sahil Bachao Coalition believes that the development would undoubtedly restrict the common man from accessing the beach.
“The beach is an outlet for all citizens, which will be taken from them. The government and the concerned authorities work in a manner they perceive to be right. But our responsibility as citizens is to tell them what we think is not being done right, said Akeel Bilgrami, a renowned architect and ex-president of Institute of Architects, Pakistan (IAP). “Eventually, authorities are responsible, but we must do our best by conveying our views on the plan,” he added.
“The public is already being charged everywhere in the city for entertainment. The beach is one place they should be able to enjoy free of cost,” said Aaliya Nisar, a photographer.
Zakia Sarwar, an educationist, said that she is extremely concerned about this development, which is going to bar a lot of the common folk, refraining them from enjoying the, ‘one natural place we have in the city, which is also no costly to enjoy.’ She added that a large number of shopkeepers and members of the working class go to the sea after their hectic working day in order to just relax.
A student of Grade 11, Madiha Hussain, said that she and her classmates were completely against the privatisation of the beach and would participate in activities to stop this.
However, there were also some people present who seemed less bothered and concerned by what may happen. “We’ll see when it will happenÖ why to worry now,” said one family when asked about their view on the development plan at the beach. Many others, more cynical with their views, were just making fun of the walk participants.
It may be mentioned here that the Sahil Bachao Coalition is a group of Karachi residents, including lawyers, artists, architects, teachers, physicians and other professionals.
The coalition is mobilising against DHA’s illegal construction plans along Karachi’s Clifton Beach. However, the number of participants seemed to be lesser this time as compared to the previous walk held two weeks ago.
Expressing their fears and doubts to The News, vendors at sea view said that they are against the development of the beach, which, they say, would snatch away their source of income as a result which their families would suffer badly.
However one, more optimistic, vendor, who has been earning bread at the Clifton Beach since 10 years now, said that it doesn’t make a difference to him. “I believe I’ll get my livelihood from somewhere else if not from here.”
