http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=95066
‘Illegal occupation threatens hill station’s fate’
Thursday, February 07, 2008
By our correspondent
The Centre for Environment and Development (Cead), a local NGO, has expressed concern over the
recent occupation of Gorakh Hill, an attractive tourist resort, located in Johi Taluka, Dadu district.
The resort is at the highest point of Kirthar Mountain Range in Sindh and a unique adventure point for
nature lovers. Gorakh is a gateway for the local villagers of Khuzdar, Balochistan, who have to travel for
utilities from Wahipandi, a small town at the foot of the mountain range.
The Cead office-bearers, Professor Qalandar Shah, Nasir Ali Panhwar, Dr Ali Murtaza Dharejo, Badar
Abro, Aziz Ranjhani and others, in their statement on Tuesday, said that the government has taken
timely action to evacuate illegal occupants but they have made another attempt to reoccupy the land.
They urged both the district government, Dadu, and the provincial government to be vigilant and take
immediate action against the illegal occupants, who reportedly have negative intentions.
When the occupants first came there, there was no development work authorised by the government in
the area, so they started building rooms illegally. The local people fear that these strangers might have
links with religious outfits fighting the government forces in NWFP and northern areas, so it’s possible
that they could create a law and order situation in Sindh any time in the future.
The Gorakh Hill Station has been used mainly as a tourism resort for the last several years. Benazir
Bhutto’s first government had initiated development projects there to promote tourism in Sindh.
However, despite repeated claims by various regimes, including the present one, the potential of
Gorakh Hill for tourism is not being fully exploited and the authorities have been unable to provide the
required infrastructure there.
The office bearers add that Gorakh Hill can serve as a hill resort for tourists, if the spot can be
developed into a well-managed hill station. The development should be well thought-out in order to
keep the hill alive.
Moreover, environmentalists have emphasised the need to develop the infrastructure, including roads,
hotels and tourist resorts. They added that the environmental management should be given due
consideration in the planning and development of the Gorakh Hill Station, which is vital for sustainable
tourism.
They appealed to the government to initiate an urgent inquiry about the matter in order to expose the
culprits, who have also threatened the local journalists of dire consequences if the media exposes their
illegal activities.