Tharparkar: The Sindh cabinet has decided to protect the Karoonjhar Hills in Tharparkar as a cultural and heritage site, as well as a forest and wildlife sanctuary/Ramsar site, as reported on July 17.
According to the details,, the nearby Khasar area has been designated for granite mining, pending clearance from the forest and wildlife department. Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah chaired the cabinet meeting at the CM House on Thursday, which included provincial ministers, advisers, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, and other officials.
The cabinet reviewed a proposal initiated by the caretaker government to start the Granite Excavation Project in Nagarparkar, based on a 2015 Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) report indicating about 14 billion tonnes of granite in the area. However, on October 16, 2023, the Sindh High Court (SHC) halted excavation in Nagarparkar because of the presence of cultural and heritage sites, forests, and a wildlife sanctuary/Ramsar site. The Sindh government then took the matter to the Supreme Court, which ruled that any mining policy in the Karoonjhar Hills must consider wildlife, environmental, and heritage interests.
Consequently, the cabinet identified the Khasar area, situated 25km from Nagarparkar, as a viable site for granite mining. The 2015 Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) report highlighted a potential mining area of 3.6km² in Khasar, which does not overlap with forest regions. The cabinet approved granite mining in Khasar, pending clearance from the forest and wildlife department.
