For a good many days a heated discussion has been in progress talking about the sale of the Karachi beach front to a Dubai based real estate developer. The entire Clifton Bay beach is to be developed and then linked to Manora Island by a bridge. This real estate development will continue along Sandspit and Hawkes bay where the Sugar City is to be constructed.

The Manora Island ^[1] is then said to also house a five star hotel and this island will later be linked to Keamari with a bridge and the development is to continue along the coast up to the DHA golf club. On a causal look it appears to be a great initiative but what surprises everyone (including me) is that the concept seems to have been visualized and conceived in Dubai and is being pushed down the throat of the citizens of Karachi without any due thought process by its residents. Have a look at the presentation made by the developers to the ‘all knowing’ owners of our city, they seem to have it all thought out and planned without even the courtesy to even bring it into discussion to the local populace which will be directly affected by this development, it undoubtedly will impact ‘the future generation’ as this as conceived by the developers will most definitely outlive the very people who think ‘this should be the future of Karachi’.

We all know that Sandspit is also the nesting ground for the for Green and Olive Ridley Turtles where the WWF-Pakistan ^[2] has established wetlands for this purpose. But more importantly the only recreational spot for Karachi is to be snatched away for some visionary plan which seems to be quite far fetched. Why? Why? do I smell a number of rats trying to push the plan around in the hope of getting a handsome kickback once it is approved. If these are the same leaders who are actively pushing the concept of an Elevated Expressway on top of Shahrai Faisal, then I have some serious reservations on their proposal to annihilate our beaches.

The Rabita Zone ^[3] blog has been at the forefront prompting this issue and a group of concerned citizens in Karachi formulated a petition ^[4]which you can also sign it here ^[5] More details can be obtained by contacting the concerned activists Tahera Hasan (tahera.hasanatgmaildotcom) or Arif Hasan (arifhasanatcyberdotnetdotpk)