Karachites will lose their beach entertainment due to Water Front Development Project of Defence Housing Authority. Various non government, community based organizations and public circles have this doubt regarding the project.

The project includes an amusement park, food court complex, board walk, expo center, sculpture court, amph-itheater, private beach, residential blocks, one hotel with a lake, under water world, dolphin park and aquarium.

Besides, DHA will also construct a creek city project and floating kitchen with private sector.

Under the project the 14 km coastal belt will be divided into seven zones. Estimated project cost is $ 1.5 billion. Master plan of the project has been approved. DHA sources said the project will yield $ 0.5 billion annually.

50 percent area will be allotted for parking and tramway. The project will have desalination and power generation plants tool. Wind and solar power will also be utilized to meet energy needs.

Sources said zoning has been done on the basis of type of seashore and its climate, environment, geography. And it was kept in mind that environment and natural conditions of the area do not get disturbed.

It is also kept in mind that picnickers do not face any hurdle. Master plan of the project was prepared after consulting 29 leading architects.

However the project is under severe criticism and social circles have serious reservations about it.

Architect Arif Hasan said Karachi beach is naturally an asset of Karachiites. Changes occur frequently at beaches all over the world but it should be seen whether these changes are beneficial for all or elite class only.

Till now the changes in Karachi beach have resulted in removing mobile (puch cart) sellers of edibles and products made of shells. Now the picnickers are compelled to buy more expensive items. Park has an entry fee Rs. 10.

Now big shop owners purchase shell products from manufacturers and sell it at high rates.

Arif said the master plan of the project shows that beach at Zone A and B will be totally snatched from the citizens. Zone C will have amusement park,with ticketed for entry. Zone D will offer nothing to commoners. Zone E will have high rise buildings and theaters, which will put the shore out of reach of the the less effluent citizens.

He insisted 'we are not against development but we demand all construction and projects to be done on the other side of the road? No building or project should hinder the road and the sea'.

The law also prohibits privatization of the beach, besides Professor Noman Ahmed said international conventions for environment protection also demand minimum physical infrastructure within 500 meters of the shore.

Being a signatory of Bio-Diversity Convention and member of United Nations , Pakistan is bound not to construct any building within these limits.

He said a very careful analysis should be done before starting this project. Labour class of our country is already pressed under many social, psychological and economic problems and inferiority complex. If the beach entertainment too is taken away from them, it will have very damaging effects on society.

Ambar Ali Bhai, General Secretary of Shehri, an NGO for citizens' rights said coastal road and beach are owned by the citizens and they should not be given to any organization.

She claimed environmental analysis of this project has not been done, neither has any public hearing been held. She demanded that public opinion should be sought before starting the project.

She demanded that citizens should be told about who is planning this project and who will be deciing in this regard, who will undertake construction and what are their credentials for the purpose. She also said Karachiites should now speak up to protect their rights.

Advocate Tahira Hasan said Water Front Development Project of DHA is against Pakistan Environment Protec-tion Act. Pakistani courts accept Public Trust Doctrine, which says air, flowing water, sea and sea shore are public property. Besides, Islam also prohibits anyone's monopoly on water resources.

Secondly, coastline of Karachi comes under the limits of Port Qasim Authority and Karachi Port Trust. DHA's powers to start this project are also questionable.

However, DHA believes these reservations and criticism are baseless, misleading and result of unawareness. DHA sources say it is a wrong impression that the project will restrict free public access to the shore.

DHA insists public can enjoy 80 percent area of beach without any restriction. National Institute of Ocean-ography and Environmental Protection Agency have analyzed environmental and oceanic aspects of the project.

They said the project was planned after consulting many builders, developers, architects and other experts. Some commercial and residential projects and modern hotels will be constructed away from the beach front. This will make the project economically viable.

The projects will be located in areas that are already out of reach of the commoner and they don't go there. Income from the project will be spent on development and welfare of DHA.

According to DHA sources a UAE based company has agreed to invest in the project. Construction of some zones will start by end 2007.