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On World Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) Day, WWF-Pakistan has appealed to the Sindh government to declare new MPAs, specifically in Pitiani and Dabbo Creeks, to protect vital biodiversity and mangrove ecosystems in the Indus Delta.
In a press release, WWF-Pakistan highlighted the country’s recent progress in marine conservation, noting that three MPAs, Astola Island (2017), Churna Island (2024), and Miani Hor (2025) have been designated within the past decade. The organization praised the Balochistan government for its latest declaration of Miani Hor as Pakistan’s third MPA on July 29, a move conservationists call a major step toward meeting global biodiversity commitments.
Pakistan is a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity, and under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, it is obligated to protect 30% of ocean areas by 2030 a goal known as 30×30.
WWF-Pakistan Director General Hammad Naqi Khan commended all stakeholders involved in marine conservation and stressed the urgency of expanding MPA coverage to combat threats such as overfishing, habitat degradation, plastic pollution, and climate change.
“Marine Protected Areas are perhaps our best hope for restoring balance in the ocean ecosystem,” he said.
Technical Advisor Muhammad Moazzam Khan emphasized that MPAs could also foster ecotourism and alternative livelihoods for coastal communities.
He cited WWF’s early efforts in Miani Hor, where dolphin watching and bird safaris have evolved into sustainable income sources.
Pakistan recently reinforced its global conservation role by signing the Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement on July 22, 2025, under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. WWF-Pakistan has urged the government to now consider declaring an offshore MPA beyond the Exclusive Economic Zone to curb unregulated fishing and protect marine biodiversity on the high seas.
