True martyrdom

The city of Karachi has witnessed martyrdom of the true kind unlike the associating of the term “martyr” with people who are better off dead than alive. This actual martyrdom came in the form of the murder of two Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum activists, Haji Abu Bakar and Abdul Ghani – two men, who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the precious mangroves on our coasts from the clutches of land grabbers.Their bodies were found at the Shamspir Island in Keamari. They were tortured and murdered. The death of these two men means that the city’s mangroves, on which 135,000 people depend for their livelihood, have lost two life lines. The dual murder has enraged the fisherfolk and they are demanding justice. But apparently, the perpetrators of this crime are too influential for the law enforcers.

Mangroves are inter-tidal forests with great economic and ecological significance. According to various researches, mangroves provide food, fodder and fuel-wood for villages. There are approximately 100,000 people who take a total of 18,000 tonnes of fuel-wood each year from the mangroves. In addition, 3,200 buffaloes and 6,000 camels also consume some 67 million kilogrammes of leaves and 19.5 million kilogrammes of grass. Much of Pakistan's fishing industry relies on the fish found in the mangroves, notably shrimp, which are the principal fisheries export of Pakistan. Of the $100 million that Pakistan earns in fisheries foreign exchange, shrimp accounts for 68 percent. Mangroves are also important for recreation purposes with high potential for eco-tourism. The Indus Delta is an important migratory route for millions of waterfowl that need to feed and breed during the winter months. Some 80 species of birds, such as pelicans, flamingos and herons are found in the Indus Delta mangroves. Mangrove forests also provide protection to the coastal areas from strong winds and ocean currents. Their vegetation also helps in reducing coastline erosion because the roots collect sediments that flow into the sea from the river.

There are certain elements who wish to deprive us of our mangroves. If men like, Haji Abu Bakar and Abdul Ghani continue to die, there will be nobody left to protect them.