Pir Shams Island/ Mohannas
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Pir Shams Island/ Mohannas
Tears of Pir Shams
Text and photographs by Ameer Hamza
At a small distance, off the Sandspit beach, lies Pir Shams Island, home to a fishermen community, locally known as Mohannas. Despite having lived here for centuries, today, the denizens of this island are fighting for their survival.
Mohannas claim to have come to this part of the subcontinent with Muhammad bin Qasim’s army in 712 AD, and are quite proud of their history. However, this pride is giving way to the grudge they hold against what they believe to be the travesty of their culture and history.
The islanders face a number of grievances. Shortage of clean drinking water tops the list. Another complaint, equally, if not more anguishing, is the threat to their sole source of income. For centuries these people have fished at sea. However, with advanced and well-equipped foreign trawlers gaining access to these waters, the number of fish available for Mohannas is decreasing.
If the foreign invasion of their resources wasn’t bad enough, the poor community is also being exploited by those who are supposed to defend them. The Ministry of Defence is taking away land belonging to these people. The snatched area is now being sealed off for ‘security reasons’.
To cover up this gross misappropriation, filming in the area has been banned. Sometime back a reporter belonging to a regional TV channel was beaten after he was found talking to the community and filming the area.
The Mohannas are also threatened by Baloch tribes, who kidnap fishermen straying in their waters, demanding exorbitant amount of money for ransom.
So far, no government has done anything to alleviate the miserable conditions of these people, with the exception of constructing a school and some toilets in the area. Other than that the island has not seen any development.
Pir Shams Island presents a grim picture of poverty. No one, save a few children, look content with life. The Mohannas are trapped in a vicious cycle of deprivation and illiteracy, which is taking its toll on this once proud community.
Today, no one is prepared to listen to them, let alone give them their due rights. They want clean water, education for their children, a ban on foreign trawlers which have snatched their only source of livelihood and have polluted their waters; a closure of chemical factories around their island which spew poison and kill ‘good’ fish. They also demand their lands back from the navy. Will there be respite for this community?
