THE Sindh government has declared Kutte Ji Qabar as a protected heritage under the relevant law. It is the second-highest peak of the Kirthar Mountain Range, 6,878 feet above the sea level, and is a potential site to promote tourism in Sindh as it has pleasant weather in the summer, and sub-zero temperatures are common in the winter.

Located on the border of Sindh and Balochistan, Kutte Ji Qabar, had been the subject of continued dispute between the two provinces. In 1994, when I was posted as the deputy commissioner in Larkana, the then Sindh chief minister, during one of his visits, asked for a detailed report with documentary proof that Kutte Ji Qabar was within the boundaries of Sindh.

For this, books, reports, gazetteers of Sindh province and maps on the subject were consulted and some knowledgeable persons in the area were interviewed. The name of the site is attributed to a folk tale of a man belonging to the Brohi tribe and his loyal dog. The story was first mentioned by Stanley Napier Raikes in his book, Folk Tales of Scinde and Guzerat, published in 1855.

Sir Charles Japmes Napier visited the place in 1845 and earmarked the boundaries of Sindh and Balochistan. Mirza Qaleech Baig, an eminent writer and scholar who has authored and translated over 450 books, visited the place in 1885 when he was posted as mukhtiarkar of Nasirabad taluka. He made a mention of the place in his books.

On the basis of all the data so collected, it was clear that this place had been part of the Dhahrayro plateau in the Kirthar Range, and fell within the boundaries of Sindh. Accordingly, a report, along with supporting documents and maps, was sent to the chief minister’s secretariat.

The government’s decision to declare it a protected heritage is appreciable, but what is required is to make the place accessible to the public by putting in place infrastructure, like proper roads, reliable transportation, and boarding and lodging facilities for the tourists.

Shams Jafrani
Karachi

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2024