Karachi Student Promotes Mangrove Conservation at Sandspit
Karachi, Oct 17: Raahem Shafique, an International Baccalaureate (IB) student at The International School Karachi, has undertaken a mangrove plantation initiative at Sandspit as part of his Middle Years Programme (MYP) Personal Project.
The initiative aims to raise awareness about mangrove conservation and encourage young people to participate in environmental protection. Mangroves play an important role in protecting Pakistan’s coastline by reducing erosion, buffering storm surges and helping limit the risk of coastal flooding.
They also absorb and store carbon, making them valuable ecosystems in efforts to address climate change. Their roots provide breeding and nursery habitats for fish, shrimp and crabs, supporting marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of fishing communities. Mangroves therefore contribute not only to coastal resilience but also to Pakistan’s blue economy.
Pakistan’s mangrove forests are concentrated mainly in the Indus River Delta in Sindh, with additional mangrove ecosystems along the Balochistan coast. Their conservation is important as coastal communities face growing environmental pressures and climate-related risks.
