ISLAMABAD   -  The Supreme Court of Pakistan was requested on Friday to take notice of the denial of fundamental rights of the people of Tharparkar to have clean drinking water, gas, electricity, education, health, protection of family, property rights, and preservation of culture.

Vasand Thari and Munawar Ali, advocates of Sindh High Court, and permanent residents of Tharparkar have filed a petition under Article 184 (3) of Constitution , praying that thousands of families, living in the historical District of Tharparkar, perennially confronted with a dearth of basic living amenities, are left to live through dirty, dingy, unpalatable, and unliveable conditions. There are around 2500 villages in Tharparkar; many of them are still in the same condition as of pre-medieval times.

The petitioners stated that there are no roads within Thar district. The provincial government is giving land to several companies at a very low rate. The companies are cutting Karoonjha Mountain, demolishing heritages, taking China clay, salt, and other minerals out of Thar; and not facilitating the locals by providing them jobs in mineral extraction or mining and also not filling vacant posts in the livestock department. The petition said that if this is continued, the people of Thar will not be able to survive due to having no source of income.

They prayed to the court to declare that the Tharparkar land – utilized for commercial purposes – be acquired through lease process and not under Land Acquisition Act 1894, and Karoonjhar Mountain as world heritage. They also requested the Court to direct the respondents to immediately provide funds for the construction of suitable roads, provision of gas, electricity, clean water, university, and hospital.