Work on the Twin Island project comes to a standstill
December 02, 2007
Karachi
The fishermen of Karachi coast have claimed that the personnel of Emaar International, a UAE-based construction company has wound up their work at the controversial twin islands of Bhundhar and Dingi near the coast of Karachi. However, Emaar authorities refute the claim, saying they have only temporarily suspended work and the project has not been abandoned.
“This is the result of our struggle,” said Muhammad Ali Shah, chairman of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF). Bhundhar and Dingi (Buddo) islands are bordered by Korangi and Phitti creeks. Bhundhar is one of the biggest and highest of all islands along the Sindh Coast, with a length of about eight kilometres. The width of the island varies — it is about 4km-wide in the north and 1km in the south.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has declared this island as a high priority area (HPA). The IUCN says the islands also serve as a breeding ground for the green turtles along with offering a sanctuary for resident and migratory bird species.
Last year, the former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz approved the development of Diamond Bar Island City on Dingi (Buddo) and Bhundhar (Bundal) Islands in 13 years at a cost of $43.135 billion where a Dubai-based company, Emaar, would develop residential, commercial and leisure real-estate projects, industrial parks, free trade zone and port terminals over 12,000 acres.
Local fishermen mainly cite four major reasons to oppose the project. Foremost among them is the fact that thousands of fishermen hunt for fishes in the creek and once the city is developed, they won’t be allowed on these islands.
Secondly, the area between the reclaimed land of the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and the Dingi Island is a path for the fishermen to go in the open sea, which will be denied to them.
Thirdly, mangrove forests adjacent to these twin islands, which come under the proposed 12,000 acres of land, will not sustain in the new city.
And finally, the sea, which is already polluted with 300MGD (million gallons per day) of untreated waste from the city, will be further polluted with the new developments, endangering the fish species.
Referring to the winding up at the twin islands, one official of Emaar Pakistan in Islamabad told The News they had packed their big tent for repair work, which has probably caused confusion.
He said the company had imported an aluminum tent (80 metres by 60 metres), the first of its kind in Pakistan, which was damaged in the bad weather. Hence, it has been shifted to the beach.
He said that Emaar signed an agreement with the government of Pakistan to initiate development at the twin islands and it had not rolled back any project in Pakistan. However, the company has not given a date for the resumption of work.
On the other hand, Shah, head of the fishermen organization, said it is their protest which made Emaar change its mind. He vowed their struggle would continue on the issue. “We are the owners. We reject their ownership. Until government announces such a policy, out struggle will continue,” Shah said.
He called the ownership claims by the Sindh government and the federal government ‘noora kushti’ (staged wrestling match). “After our pressure, the Sindh chief minister and governor came into action.
They did not raise any objection when the summary was being prepared. They were silent at that time. But after the pressure, they wanted to show their support and appear prominent in all of this,” said Shah.
The fishermen of Karachi coast have claimed that the personnel of Emaar International, a UAE-based construction company has wound up their work at the controversial twin islands of Bhundhar and Dingi near the coast of Karachi. However, Emaar authorities refute the claim, saying they have only temporarily suspended work and the project has not been abandoned.
“This is the result of our struggle,” said Muhammad Ali Shah, chairman of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF). Bhundhar and Dingi (Buddo) islands are bordered by Korangi and Phitti creeks. Bhundhar is one of the biggest and highest of all islands along the Sindh Coast, with a length of about eight kilometres. The width of the island varies — it is about 4km-wide in the north and 1km in the south.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has declared this island as a high priority area (HPA). The IUCN says the islands also serve as a breeding ground for the green turtles along with offering a sanctuary for resident and migratory bird species.
Last year, the former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz approved the development of Diamond Bar Island City on Dingi (Buddo) and Bhundhar (Bundal) Islands in 13 years at a cost of $43.135 billion where a Dubai-based company, Emaar, would develop residential, commercial and leisure real-estate projects, industrial parks, free trade zone and port terminals over 12,000 acres.
Local fishermen mainly cite four major reasons to oppose the project. Foremost among them is the fact that thousands of fishermen hunt for fishes in the creek and once the city is developed, they won’t be allowed on these islands.
Secondly, the area between the reclaimed land of the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and the Dingi Island is a path for the fishermen to go in the open sea, which will be denied to them.
Thirdly, mangrove forests adjacent to these twin islands, which come under the proposed 12,000 acres of land, will not sustain in the new city.
And finally, the sea, which is already polluted with 300MGD (million gallons per day) of untreated waste from the city, will be further polluted with the new developments, endangering the fish species.
Referring to the winding up at the twin islands, one official of Emaar Pakistan in Islamabad told The News they had packed their big tent for repair work, which has probably caused confusion.
He said the company had imported an aluminum tent (80 metres by 60 metres), the first of its kind in Pakistan, which was damaged in the bad weather. Hence, it has been shifted to the beach.
He said that Emaar signed an agreement with the government of Pakistan to initiate development at the twin islands and it had not rolled back any project in Pakistan. However, the company has not given a date for the resumption of work.
On the other hand, Shah, head of the fishermen organization, said it is their protest which made Emaar change its mind. He vowed their struggle would continue on the issue. “We are the owners. We reject their ownership. Until government announces such a policy, out struggle will continue,” Shah said.
He called the ownership claims by the Sindh government and the federal government ‘noora kushti’ (staged wrestling match). “After our pressure, the Sindh chief minister and governor came into action.
They did not raise any objection when the summary was being prepared. They were silent at that time. But after the pressure, they wanted to show their support and appear prominent in all of this,” said Shah.
