Sindh Islands: SHC issues notices to provincial, federal governments

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday issued notices to the federal and provincial governments on a petition challenging the formation of the Pakistan Islands Development Authority Ordinance 2020.

As per details, the court asked them to submit detailed replies by October 23.

The petitioner stated before the court that the formation of the Pakistan Islands Development Authority is unconstitutional. The federal government couldn’t undertake projects on the island alongside Karachi cost.

On August 31, President Arif Alvi promulgated the Pakistan Islands Development Authority (PIDA) Ordinance, 2020, to facilitate the Centre to take control of Sindh’s two islands — Bundal and Buddo.

The court was pleaded to declare the ordinance unlawful and unconstitutional.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Sindh government had withdrawn its decision to hand over islands to the federal government following a campaign in the province by right activists, Sindhi nationalists, civil society and others.

Both Sindh and federal governments are at loggerheads over possession of the islands. The Sindh government had asked the federal government to immediately withdraw an ordinance aimed at taking control of two islands along Karachi's coast, Bundal and Buddo.

In a press conference on Tuesday, PPP leaders stated that the islands belong exclusively to the people and the government of Sindh. They termed the move by federal government as "illegal annexation" of the islands and changing the boundaries of the province in violation of Article 239 (4) of the Constitution.

The provincial cabinet had also decided not to hold any further discussion with the Centre regarding the development of the islands.