QUETTA, Dec 20: A constitutional petition has been filed in the Balochistan High Court against allotment of hunting areas in Kharan and Washak districts to UAE President High Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

The petition was filed by legal heirs of Nawab of Kharan, Nawab Ameer Habibullah Khan Nousherwani, through their attorney Nawabzada Ameer Shahryar Nousherwani.

The petitioner submitted that the federal government had illegally allotted personal property in Kharan and Washak districts to Sheikh Khalifa.

He pleaded that the government was illegally allotting their personal property spread over a vast area, including agriculture land, forests, water channels, water springs, karezats, orchards and pastures for hunting to the UAE president and ruler of Abu Dhabi, without any permission and without taking petitioners into confidence.

The petitioner also said that every year while operating in the area the staff of the UAE president established hunting posts and patrolled the area in their vehicles and did not allow even owners, tenants and shepherds to enter the area and look after their land, crops and cattle.

The applicant also said that protection of property rights as envisaged in Article 24 of the Constitution of Pakistan and the instrument of accession of Kharan State between the Nawab of Kharan and Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was being violated and the petitioners required to be dealt with in accordance with the law.

The petitioners prayed to the court to restrain the Pakistan government from allotting their hunting area to Arab dignitaries and the staff of the UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi might be restrained from occupying, damaging and disturbing the life, liberty and property of the petitioners and their tenants.—Staff Correspondent