The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday directed Culture & Heritage Department to place on record the details of funds provided for maintenance of Chowkandi graveyard.
A division bench was hearing a petition filed by a non-governmental organization Raah-e-Rast Trust which had moved the court, seeking preservation of the historic graveyard located near National Highway, Karachi.
The petitioner’s counsel informed the judges that graveyard’s administration was being provided funds of millions of rupees for its maintenance as it had been declared as heritage.
The bench directed the respondent Culture & Heritage Department to submit the details of funds it got for the graveyard’s preservation and where the same was spent by the next date of hearing.
It was pertinent to mention here that earlier, there was a dispute over actual area of Chowkandi graveyard as the survey superintendent had informed the court that the graveyard covers up 25.4 acres land whereas the petitioner had maintained the historical heritage site was spread over 57 acres of land.
Raah-e-Rast Trust in its petition had submitted that of the graveyard was very dilapidated and it lacked proper boundary walls. “The people from the surroundings have removed the stones and bricks from original structures to use them for decorating their houses or shops”, the trust added.
According to the petitioner, some part of the graveyard has been encroached by the influential people who are using it for the commercial purpose.
Citing Culture & Heritage department, Malir Development Authority and others as respondents, the Raah-e-Rast trust prayed to the court to direct the respondents to look after and maintain the most precious and important heritage.
The court was further requested to direct the respondents to remove the encroachments from the land which is reserved for the Chowkandi graveyard.
The Chowkandi graveyard was built from 15th to 18th century and it has been declared as historical heritage. It is a family graveyard of Jhokio tribe and some other Baloch tribes are also buried in it.
