KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday directed the provincial government to file a reply on an application seeking formation of an independent commission to probe the situation in drought-hit parts of Tharparkar.

The application came up during the hearing of three identical petitions about Thar before a division bench headed by Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah.

One of the petitions seeking measures to deal with the Thar situation was filed by the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler), Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and rights campaigner Javed Iqbal Burki, who cited as respondents the secretary of establishment division, ministry of national food security and research, interior minister, director general of the Federal Investigating Agency, chief secretary, local government secretary, provincial revenue and relief secretary, health secretary, national regulations and services secretary as well as the federal and provincial chiefs of the National Disaster Management Authority.

The other petitions were filed by the Sindh High Court Bar Association and Rana Faizul Hasan, a civil rights campaigner and secretary general of the United Human Rights of Pakistan.

The petitioners’ counsel requested the court to order formation of an independent commission to probe unabated deaths of children in the drought-hit parts of Thar desert.

The government lawyer, however, opposed the application and submitted that there was no need to form any commission as the situation in the famine-hit areas had remarkably improved to a great extent.

He said that an inquiry commission headed by Senator Taj Haider was keeping a vigilant eye on the situation in the affected areas, therefore, the court was requested to dispose of the petitions.

The bench directed the provincial government’s law officer to file comments on the constitution of an inquiry commission for the drought-hit areas of Thar.

According to Piler, more than 200 people, including women and children, died in Tharparkar as a direct result of famine, malnutrition, diseases and criminal negligence on part of respondents.

Through the petition, the NGO sought justice and enforcement of fundamental rights and the law, for the victims, the survivors and their families, and directions by the SHC to deal with the Tharparkar tragedy and avoid such tragedies in future.

The NGO’s counsel submitted that most areas of Tharparkar district, including talukas of Mithi, Chhachhro, Diplo, Islamkot, Nagarparkar and Khinsar, were facing a famine-like situation and more than 200 people, a majority of whom were reported to be malnourished, had died.

Over 175,000 families were reported to have been affected and some of them had been forced to leave their homes and move to barrage areas, the court was informed.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2016