SHC, Karachi Bar end marches after government promises to protect hills from ‘commercial exploitation’
Lawyers take to the streets and raise their voices for the historic Karoonjhar hills. Photo: Jalal Qureshi/Express
KARACHI:
Lawyers from Sindh High Court Bar, Karachi Bar and All Sindh Lawyers Action Committee staged a protest outside Chief Minister’s House against cutting and mining of Karoonjhar Hills. Large rallies were held where participants shouted slogans demanding protection of the historic hills.
The protests came to a peaceful end after successful negotiations between the bar associations and the Sindh government. The provincial ministers gave assurances of the approval of the lawyers’ charter of demands, which caused the lawyers to disperse peacefully.
The rallies began from the SHC and proceeded to the CM house with significant participation from members of the legal community. Demonstrations were also held at PIDC Chowk.
A delegation led by Sindh High Court Bar Association President Barrister Sarfraz Metlo met Sindh Law Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, while Karachi Bar Association President Aamir Nawaz Waraich’s delegation held talks with Local Government Minister Naseer Hussain Shah. Both bar leaders presented a charter of demands to the provincial ministers.
During the meetings, the ministers acknowledged the legitimacy of the lawyers’ protest and underlined shared concerns over canal and water issues. They stated that the decision on canal projects had already been withdrawn as per the chairman’s instructions. Assurances were given that the government stands with the lawyers on the Karoonjhar Hills issue and will fully represent their position in the Assembly.
After the successful negotiations, Barrister Sarfraz Metlo expressed gratitude to the media and civil society for their support and confirmed that the charter of demands had been submitted to the Law Minister. The Law Minister informed that mining contracts had been issued by the interim government and assured that complaints would be withdrawn. Karoonjhar Hills would be declared a heritage site and a 15-day period has been set to resolve all related issues.
After the High Court Bar protest, the Karachi Bar Association also held a rally from the High Court to the CM House, where police attempts to block the march led to minor scuffles. Some lawyers climbed into containers set up as barricades.
Aamir Nawaz Waraich said that mining in Karoonjhar Hills is against Sindh’s interests and vowed that the protests would continue until the government officially withdraws the decision. After the meeting with minister Nasir Hussain Shah, Waraich said the provincial government had assured that the appeal would be withdrawn and the Karoonjhar Hills preserved.
