Entire Mountain Range in Sindh Declared Heritage Site

The Sindh High Court has ruled that the entire Karoonjhar mountain range in the Tharparkar district is now a protected heritage site, ending the controversy surrounding its preservation.

Earlier, the provincial government had granted heritage status to only 16% of the range, sparking outrage. The Mirpurkhas Bench of the SHC issued a stern warning on Monday, stating that any breach of this ruling would be treated as a violation of the court’s order and could lead to punishment under Article 204 of the Constitution.

This decision came in response to a contempt petition filed by Advocate Shankar Lal. The controversy began on September 14 when the Sindh Cabinet announced that 21,000 acres of the Karoonjhar Mountains were to be protected, following a previous court order from October 2023.

However, the petitioner and residents opposed this, arguing that international law does not allow heritage sites to be declared in a fragmented manner, which would enable mining and excavation in other parts of the range.

The move has faced criticism from various political parties and the people of Nangarparkar, who see the entire mountain range as sacred and essential to their cultural heritage.