Baba and Bhit Islands
Baba and Bhit Islands (Urdu: جزیرہ بابا بھٹ ) are two small and densely populated islands located in the Karachi Harbour, in Karachi, Pakistan.[1] The approximate area of the islands is 4 km² and the population is about 25,000. The islands are connected to Karachi via a ferry service to Keamari.[2]
Baba and Bhit Islands جزیرہ بابا بھٹ | |
|---|---|
| District | Karachi West |
| City | Karachi |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Time zone | UTC+5 (PST) |
The islands, along with Shams Pir, are old fishing villages in the harbor which predate the formal establishment of Karachi.[3] It is claimed that the two islands are over 400 years old.[4] There are ethnic groups in Baba & Bhit Island including 90% Kutchi and 10% Sindhi Over 100% of the population is Muslim. The local Kutchi fishermen refer to themselves as Morrio Pata.[4] Villagers from these islands later helped settle Shams Pir.[4]
The area is severely neglected by the local and the central government because of its separation from the mainland.
References
- Kiamari Town - Government of Karachi Archived 2006-02-19 at the Wayback Machine
- Hasan, Shazia (2013-06-27). "Overloaded boats continue to ferry people between city and islands". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
- Siddiqui, Ahmed Husain (1996). Karachi: The Pearl of Arabian Sea. Mohammad Husain Academy.
- Tribune.com.pk (2019-02-24). "Forgotten stories of Karachi's coastal islands uncovered". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2020-04-19.