KARACHI: While furnishing statement and replies to the lawmakers’ written and verbal queries, Mines and Mineral Development Minister Shabbir Bijarani said that a feasibility study of granite deposits in district Tharparkar had been carried out which estimated the quantity of granite in Karoonjhar and Nagarparkar at 26 billion tonnes, out of which 10.06 billion tonnes as readily available/identified in mapped reserves.

“Further, mine and mineral development department is also carrying out the task of reserves estimation of minerals across the province which would include assessment of subsurface reserves of granite in Karoonjahr Range.

Responding to a verbal query, he said that Tharparkar was rich in mineral deposits. “However, due to the objection and protest of the local people, there is currently a ban on mining of granite.”

He said that the mining was banned in Karoonjhar as there were ancient temples, birthplace of Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar and other historical places.

“There are forests and valuable wildlife also,” he said, adding that the local people did not want any damage to their ancient heritage there.

In response to a question raised by PTI’s Firdous Shamim Naqvi, he said that there was granite on 437 acres.

He said that there were deer, nilgai, rabbit, peacock and other such animals in Tharparkar and Karoonjhar.

“The provincial government has imposed strict restrictions on hunting for breeding of wildlife,” he said, adding that the animals had been breeding with their generation increasing after the ban.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2022