KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Thursday directed the provincial authorities concerned to file reports on a petition seeking protection of Khirthar National Park.
A two-judge constitutional bench of the SHC headed by Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry directed the secretary of the wildlife department to file a report and comments till Feb 25.
It also sought a report from the culture, tourism and antiquities department about protection and preservation of the park.
Citing the secretaries of the departments of wildlife, culture, mines & minerals as well as the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency, Malir Development Authority and others as respondents, petitioners Hafeezur Rehman and others had approached the SHC last year and asserted that these authorities have failed to protect the national park and on the contrary, they were going to allot some portions for commercial business through leases of mines and Reti Bajri, though they were required to protect the park as well as old graves and historical places.
Petitioners say govt failed to protect the reserve and plans to allot portions for commercial use
When the matter came up for hearing on Thursday, the counsel for the petitioners pointed out that the respondents had not been filing comments despite repeated directives issued by the court.
The bench expressed dissatisfaction over a provincial law officer as he sought more time to file comments on behalf of the respondents.
The court directed the secretaries of the wildlife department and the culture, tourism and antiquities department to file comments and reports in the light of earlier court orders.
The bench also extended its earlier interim order restraining the authorities from issuing any allotment within the notified boundary of Khirthar National Park till next hearing.
Earlier, the petitioners had submitted that the park was an important habitat for a variety of mammals, birds and reptiles where an estimated 276 species of fauna had been recorded while the Khirthar Protected Areas Complex was protected and had been declared a protected area under the relevant laws and rules.
The counsel maintained that the park was the habitat for 33 species of mammals, 23 species of reptiles, three species of amphibians, 29 species of fish and 25 species of plants while it was also known as main habitat for the Sindh’s urial and ibex.
Last year, the SHC had issued an interim restraining order and also ordered a sessions judge to inspect the park with the assistance of the respective authorities and petitioners in view of the contentions raised in the petition.
It had further directed the secretary of the wildlife department to submit complete details of the activities launched by the wildlife department over the last 10 years and posts created for safety of rare and other living species.
Pleas against 27th Amendment
The same bench on Thursday directed the ministry of law, justice & parliamentary affairs to file comments in two identical petitions impugning the 27Th Constitutional Amendment.
At the outset of the hearing, a federal law officer sought more time to file comments on behalf of respondents. Thereafter, the bench issued directive to file the same till Feb 25.
Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2025