SHC declares entire Karoonjhar Mountain protected heritage

The Sindh High Court has declared that the entire Karoonjhar Mountains range in Tharparkar district "is now a protected heritage", putting to rest the controversy which erupted after the provincial government gave heritage status to just 16% of the mountain.

The Mirpurkhas Bench on Monday warned that any violation would be treated as a violation of the SHC's order, punishable under article 204 of the constitution.

The order has been given in a contempt petition filed by Advocate Shankar Lal. On September 14, a meeting of the Sindh Cabinet announced that 21,000 acres of Karoonjhar were being declared as protected heritage in compliance with the SHC Hyderabad circuit bench's October 16, 2023, order.

However, the lawyer challenged the decision in the court. The move also drew flak from different segments of society, sub-nationalist political parties and particularly from the residents of Nangarparkar in Tharparkar.

The petitioner argued that as per the international law, Karoonjhar Mountains cannot be given status of heritage in a fragmented way so as to allow mining and excavation for commercial gains in large parts while only sparing a smaller portion.