[1][2] The Pakistan Islands Development Authority was formulated via a Presidential ordinance on 2 September 2020, and a month later, it appeared in the news.

According to the ordinance, all the islands on the coasts of Balochistan and Sindh, including Bundal and Buddo, were owned by the federation and were placed in Schedule-I.

The Ordinance, citing the Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act, 1976, stated that up to 12 nautical miles from coast to sea would now be considered the property of the Authority.

[12][13] The people of Sindh had severe concerns and rejected federal authority over the provincial coastal islands because the coastal territory of 18 nautical miles fell under the jurisdiction of the respective province, i.e., Sindh, and the Pakistan federal government's boundaries started after 18 nautical miles until reaching the international sea water boundary.

The idea of building a modern city on the islands did not emerge suddenly for the federation; its links dated back to the Musharraf era.

[14][15] The federal government took direct control over the islands of the province, and the Ordinance was challenged in the Sindh High Court.