Bhit and Baba islands brace for polls: Islanders want new government to focus on education, healthcare facilities

The Bhit and Baba islands, some one nautical mile off Keamari coast, are giving an impression of a lost land as about 35,000 population having no education, healthcare, recreational and sports facilities. "I just want the new government to give education and healthcare facilities to my island youth and build sports facilities," says a 65 year old retired fisherman, Haji Ibrahim, sitting with his aged colleagues close to shoreline of Baba Island.
The Baba Island is larger in size and population than Bhit Island, which faces similar problems but with signs of social degradation as a small number of youth began to turn to addiction of liquor and drugs with a gamble den is also present. To him, the islanders' biggest problem is lack of education to youth, along with healthcare facilities. However, he was not optimistic that the seafarers' community will turn out in huge to cast vote in May 11 polls.
"People are not interested in politics here only because the politicians' indifferent attitude towards fishermen community," he said and indicated his vote will go to former Town Nazim, Humayun Khan, who is contesting on PS-89 seat, for his potable water project to Baba Island.
A visit to both islands shows the MQM has penetrated in the local community while PML-N is setting its tone for politics in the islets. The overall situation is grim with no sanitation and cleansing of small vehicle-less streets. "The passenger jetty of Bhit Island is shaky, no playground, no parks, no recreational spots, sewerage and sanitation arrangements are available to about 17,000 seafarers community," said Haji Abdul Raheem.
He added that the dirt was visible all around, as trash rotating from one side to other of the street while residents have to buy potable water transported to island by private suppliers. "There is no living space at all on the islands due to which residents are forced to hold back marriages of their sons and daughter," he said, adding that they have even to bury their deceased outside the island.
In his views, the politicians have no interests in the islanders' problems but only to have them cast vote to their parties. Never an elected politician visited the islands to look into their growing problems, he regreted. The island has a government a private school for education of children. "The number of students at the government school is around 500 and the private school, which is being run by a welfare organisation, has accommodated 700 students," Haji Raheem said.
Education's standard at the government school low but the private charity school is imparting comparatively better quality education to the children of the islanders, he said, adding that the islanders just want the new government should focus on their problems.
The only government hospital has no staff to check and treat the patients whom have to be transported to city's hospitals. "Whether it is taking out of funeral procession or a patient to the city, we face problems to sail them through seawaters to the soil," he explained.
Setting demands, which he said are old one, he said the new government should fist erect seawall to demark the islands limits so that residents could easily expand their land into sea for future development. Besides, he says the islands have no gas and water supplies, except a Reverse Osmosis Plant at Baba Island which water supply is limited to the island and in small amount. There is no community hall for the seafarers at both islands, he added.
"Modern education is a big issue for the youth to meet the present day challenges in the world which the students do not have there," he said, adding that the existing state-run schools lack teachers and other facilities. Haji Ibrahim said that the Baba Island has two government schools and one municipal and a charity hospital. But, he is unhappy with the doctors at the state-run hospital who remain absent to avoid full-time duties to provide treatment to thepatients.
The government hospital even lacks medicines and is not functional. Whereas, he said, the welfare hospital is giving an ample attention to ill residents. "Neither former MPA Akhtar Jadoon nor former MNA Abdul Qadir Patel visited the island to meet residents and have their views," he said. The island is crime-free, he said, adding that "the island has its centuries old peaceful atmosphere of co-existence as people never lock their homes during day and night".
The blend of both islands is same as Katchi community with its over 99 percent population share dominates both islets, who are altogether associated with fishing sector. Sindhi and Baloch follow the population with less than one percent. There is a family of ethnic Pukhtun group, which resides for several decades and is associated with religious activities such as calling Aazan and offering prayers.
Political activities are on the peak but very calm and peaceful, according to the residents. The area has less than one percent incidents of crimes which are of minor nature. The seafarers solve their problems within their community and avoid going to police or courts. Both islands share largely same social, religious and political values. They say a child has to begin his fishing career at the age of 14 to understand the outer sea atmosphere and dealing with different marine species.
Traditionally, the tiny islands were the political stronghold of PPP but with the passage of time it neglected the seafarers' community which helped the MQM and PML-N gain ground, the residents said. However, exact figures of eligible votes in both islands could not be ascertained, but senior residents believe each of them has between 3,000 and 5000 entitled voters. Flags and banners of PPP, MQM and PML-N have been displayed on small streets of the islands with a number of political offices of these parties.