Pakistan has a 990-kilometre (km) coastline shared by its two coastal provinces, with 270 kms in Sindh and 720 kms in Balochistan. Situated between the Indian coast to the east and the Iranian coast to the west, the Pakistani coast comprises four primary zones, each with distinct features, sets of challenges and opportunities.

The country’s coastline is complemented by a large exclusive maritime economic zone, which is exceptionally rich in a variety of marine resources. While many nations have developed their ‘blue economies’, a term that covers all economic activities related to oceans, seas, coasts and maritime resources, Pakistan remains at almost the bottom in this sector. 

This piece aims to understand Pakistan’s coast, the challenges faced by various zones, and the opportunities presented by the country’s marine resources for national development.

THE RANN OF KUTCH

The Pakistani coast in the east begins at the southeastern tip of the province of Sindh, in the area known as the ‘Rann of Kutch.’ Although most of the Rann of Kutch is in India, an area of about 780 square kms lies in Pakistan. At the edge of that area lies Sir Creek, a tidal estuary in the Indus Delta, which marks the Pakistan-India border, although with differing interpretations, leading to significant costs in human suffering for the ultra-poor fishers of both countries.

With a coastline running almost 1,000 kilometres and a maritime zone larger than three of its provinces, Pakistan possesses a ‘blue economy’ capable of generating immense wealth and energy. Yet, plagued by disputes, pollution and mismanagement, its coast remains a story of neglected potential…

It may be of interest to readers to know that the roots of the Sir Creek border dispute date back to the colonial period when, in 1908, Sindh and the state of Kutch disputed their respective borders. Since both contending parties came under the suzerainty of the British Indian Empire, the issue was seemingly resolved through a joint declaration in 1914, but with two contradictory paragraphs. While paragraph nine gave the entire creek to Sindh, paragraph 10, in effect, fixed the boundary midstream.

The issue became an international conflict between India and Pakistan when, upon Partition, the Kutch region joined India, while Sindh became part of Pakistan. Since then, the dispute has led to armed clashes between the two countries. The two nations have been unable to resolve the issue over the last 78 years, because marking the border midstream or at the eastern edge of Sir Creek has significant implications for the demarcation of the two countries’ exclusive economic zones in the Arabian Sea.

However, the victims of this dispute have been poor fishermen, who are often arrested and have their boats seized by rival countries, because they unintentionally cross into their defined borders. These innocent fishermen then spend years in the prisons of the rival countries before being exchanged at the Wagah border near Lahore, never regaining their source of livelihood — their boats.

THE INDUS RIVER DELTA

Westward from Sir Creek is the fan-shaped Indus River delta region, consisting of 17 major and several minor creeks, formed by the river before it flows into the Arabian Sea. The delta covers about 600,000 hectares and is the sixth-largest river delta in the world. 

It encompasses mangrove habitats, dunes,........

© Dawn (Magazines)