KARACHI, Feb 24: The Horticulture Society of Pakistan has urged the city district government Karachi to hand over the HSP's 30 acres back to it so that botanical gardens could be set up on the land.

Speaking at the inauguration of the 60th flower show organised by the HSP on the Seaview Park on Thursday, HSP president Fahim Siddiqui said the society was allotted 30 acres along Rashid Minhas Road in 1981 but the land had since been under the illegal custody of the CDGK. After years of litigation, the Sindh High Court had given a judgment in the HSP's favour, but the CDGK had not yet returned the land to the HSP.

He said the society had been working for the promotion of horticulture in the city for the last six decades. The A. K. Khan Tissue Culture Lab, named after the founder of the HSP, had also been built and scientific equipment and machinery were being installed there, and soon it would become operational.

He said conocarpus plants had been planted along major traffic arteries in the city. He said the tree species was a boon for the water-starved city as it could withstand the salty sea breeze, required little water, could survive on brackish water and withstand temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius. It has thrived well in the city, but it needed aesthetic landscaping, trimming and pruning so that bends and roadside buildings could be visible.

He suggested that at least two major parks in the metropolis be turned into city forests by planting 'timber' trees that could help improve the city environment.

More than 100 trophies were given to the winners of different parks in various categories. The prizes were distributed by HSP founder A. K. Khan and a former Sindh martial law administrator, retired Lt-Gen Jehanzeb Arbab.

In the professional category, the first prize and Abdus Sattar Pirzada Trophy was won by the Defence Housing Authority. In the amateurs category, the first prize and Nausherwanji Trophy was won by Mir Sab.

The Flagstaff House won the first prize in the category of gardens of official bungalows (large), while the KPT Rest House at Manora won the first prize in the guesthouse gardens category. The DHA's Tooba Mosque won the first prize in the mosque gardens category.

In total, there were over 130 entries competing in around 60 categories. A large number of stalls displaying various gardening equipment, inputs, etc were set up at the flower show, which will remain open to the public from Friday to Sunday from 10am to 10pm with an entry fee of Rs10 per head.

A large variety of plants from flowering annuals, perennials, palms, cacti, bonsai, orchids, exotic flowers, flower arrangements etc are on display at the show.

Societies such as the Orchid Society of Pakistan; Cactus & Succulent Society of Pakistan; Pakistan Bonsai Society; Amateur Gardeners' Club; Ladies Horticulture Society; Ikebana International Karachi Chapter; Sojetsu Study Group; Ohara Study Group; Ikenobo Sturdy Group, and the Floral Arts Society have set up their pavilions, displaying their respective themes.