Report on Karoonjhar excavation sought

The Supreme Court, after hearing arguments on the Sindh government's appeal against the decision of the Sindh High Court (SHC) to ban stone crushing and mining at the Karoonjhar Hills in the Nagarparkar district of the Thar Desert, has sought a detailed report from the committee comprising experts.

An SHC Hyderabad bench in a judgment in October had called for preservation of Karoonjhar Hills declaring that the Sindh Mines and Mineral Department did not have jurisdiction over the hills which were a protected heritage site.

Read Lawyers oppose excavation on Karoonjhar mountain

Justice Mohammad Shafi Siddiqui had ruled that Karoonjhar Hills was not available for excavation of any nature whatsoever, except for discovering historical monuments and, that too, after following international guidelines.

On Tuesday, a two-member SC bench, consisting of Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, heard the Sindh government's appeal against the SHC decision to ban cutting and mining at Karoonjhar Hills.

Sindh government, instead of the advocate general, acquired the services of a private lawyer to plead the case at SC at the Karachi Registry.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2023.