KEENJHAR lake in Thatta is 122 km from Karachi and 18km from Thatta town. It is the second largest freshwater lake in Pakistan. I recently visited the lake. It was sad to see the poor conditions there.

There were illegal checkpoints with ill-mannered people manning them. The land mafia has occupied the parking area. They have set up several tents for car parking facilities with heavy charges.

There is no hotel/motel offering hygienic food. One can hardly get huts run by the Sindh Tourism Development Corporation on rent because they are mostly occupied by influential people.

Dilapidated condition of the road towards both entrances is another issue that needs to be addressed.

The freshwater lake has a scenic view and is a beautiful place to visit with family and friends. But there are no trash cans th throw garbage which is polluting the lake.

To sum it up, this scenic and historical tourist spot has been devastated by the Sindh government’s apathy. It is time the government took action to make Keenjhar Lake a clean and well-managed spot providing cheap and safe tourism.

Dr Ashraf Jafrani

Sujawal

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2018