The visit of the multi-party committee was a part of its current tour
of environmentally sensitive sites across Sindh.

National Assembly sub committee members, Marvi Memon of the PML-Q, Palwasha Khan of Pakistan Peoples Party and Tayyab Hussain of MQM, accompanied school children of The International School, Foundation Public School, Headstart and St. Josephs School to the island to plant mangrove sapling.

They were joined by school children from the neighbouring village of
Ibrahim Hyderi.

The Parliamentarians and children were briefed about the importance of mangroves by Tahir Qureshi and Rafi ul Haq of IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Pakistan. They were then provided saplings which were planted by the children and MNAs.

Speaking on the occassion, the MNA's said the issue of saving the
mangroves went beyond the political divide and provincial boundaries, and they pledged to raise the issue at the highest national level so that measures for their safeguard could be implemented.

It may be mentioned here that not only do mangroves serve as nurseries for fish and shrimp, they are a barrier to sea intrusion, besides providing safeguards against storm waves like Tsumanis. Their depletion and degradation directly impacts the livlihoods of the
fisherfolk dependent upon them.

They are also carbon sinks and serve as the lungs for the city.