The Sindh High Court has adjourned further hearing of a petition regarding the protection of Kirthar National Park until December 18. The case highlights ongoing concerns about illegal activities and encroachments within the park’s boundaries.
Last year, the court had restrained the Sindh government and other authorities from allotting land inside the notified limits of Kirthar National Park. The bench also directed the wildlife secretary to provide a detailed report of wildlife activities over the last ten years. The report was to include positions created for the protection of rare and endangered species.
Petitioners emphasized that the Kirthar Protected Areas in Sindh comprise one of Pakistan’s largest national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and game reserves. The park serves as a crucial habitat for numerous species, with an estimated 276 types of fauna recorded. Among these are 33 species of mammals, 23 species of reptiles, three species of amphibians, 29 species of fish, and 25 species of plants. Kirthar National Park is also recognized as the main habitat for the Sindh urial and ibex.
The petitioners’ counsel argued that official authorities had failed to protect the park. Instead, commercial activities like mining and extraction of sand and gravel were being allowed within its boundaries. They highlighted that these actions violated the Sindh Wildlife, Protection, Preservation and Conservation Act 2020, which designates the area as a protected wildlife sanctuary.
Petitioners warned that the illegal activities and land encroachments were threatening the park’s biodiversity and ecosystem. Deforestation, sand and gravel mining, erosion of riverbeds, silting of rivers, loss of topsoil, and reduced water retention capacity were causing environmental degradation. These issues, they argued, are contributing to extreme heatwaves in Karachi, increasing the risk of floods, and potentially threatening food security in the region.
Environmentalists and wildlife advocates hope the court’s intervention will ensure stricter protection of Kirthar National Park. They emphasize that safeguarding the park is vital not only for wildlife conservation but also for maintaining ecological balance in Sindh.
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