Balochistan government is currently undertaking a survey of Sonmiani area in Lasbela district where the federal government is planning construction of the country’s fourth seaport. The ban on transfer of land in

Sonmiani and Lairi tehsils of district Lasbela imposed by the provincial government will continue till the completion of the survey.

According to the official sources, the proposed port city called Allah Din Cove would be located at Miani Hor, the large lagoon in Sonmiani bay. It will provide investment opportunities for development of business, tourism, housing and industry. The new port city would be equipped with world-class infrastructure including roads, airport, hotels, resorts, IT, banking, industrial parks and oil refineries and would be turned into an industrial hub

Sonmiani is a small fishing village of 3000 people and is located 80 km North West of Karachi. The fishermen earn handsome money during fishing season. If Sonmiani is turned into a deep seaport, the property prices will skyrocket in the area, these fishermen would sell away their land for a song. This is exactly what was witnessed in Gwadar.

The local leaders and environmentalists have expressed serious reservations about the newly planned port project.. The Deputy Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly, Muhammad Aslam Bhootani has criticised the federal government for not taking elected representatives and people of the area into confidence before announcing plan for a new port . Chief Minister Balochistan, Jam Yousaf assured a high-level meeting that the interest of the local population will be fully safeguarded while implementing the port project. Presently, the government is engaged in preparing a master plan for the proposed city and seeking the services of international developer for the purpose.

The plan for construction of second port in the province came just after Gwadar port had gone into operations under Singaporean operators. It has not yet been known from where the funding for the project will come: whether it is constructed with the help of foreign assistance or the government will fund it through its own resources? The official plan indicates that it would be a mega sea port project with a proposed modern port city on the pattern of Gwadar in Mekran. This remote area is attracting the attention of real estate mafia, who are currently engaged in speculative real estate business in Gwadar.

Baloch nationalists contend that allotment of 200,000 acres land to the Civil Aviation Authority in Lasbela and the proposed construction of Sonmiani seaport will cause a demographic imbalance and convert the Baloch into a minority.

They are demanding that government should ensure protection of rights of the local people in terms of jobs and land and a guarantee that no injustice and discrimination would be done with them. Referring to the Gwadar Port project, they claim that apprehensions of the local people have yet to be removed by the federal government.

Environmentalists fear that once the construction of port starts in Sonmiani Bay, the mangrove forests in Miani Hor will definitely be cut down, which is a good source of seeds for all three mangrove species in Pakistan. The mangrove forests in Sonmiani, spread over 2,500 hectares, are a declared protected area. In order to protect their natural resources, Sonmiani people have formed an organisation, the Sonmiani Development Organisation (SDO).

According to environmentalists, Miani Hor is a closed lagoon with a four kilometre wide mouth that opens out into the Arabian Sea and nurtures life forms that are distinct from the open shores of the Makran coast. Much of the lagoon waters lie within mud flats and islands. In the waters of the bay, there are bottlenose dolphins, turtles and a multitude of water and sea birds.

This picturesque bay is internationally recognised as an important wetland, home to migratory birds. It is also full of shrimp, crab and other fish, which feed and live around the roots of the dense mangrove trees. Over the years, with the help of international NGOs, the fishermen have come together to protect their natural resources and save the mangrove forests.

The dense mangrove forests provide an abundance of fish for trade and food, as well as fodder and fuel for the local residents. The mud crabs which grow in the mangrove roots are considered a delicacy in south East Asia and if marketed properly, can provide profits for the local community.