SC orders Sindh govt, SMC to protect turtles

KARACHI: Supreme Court (SC) on Friday has ordered Sukkur Municipal Corporation (SMC) to protect turtles living in the Indus River, ARY News reported.

A bench of SC headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed took up the Sukkur’s Lab-e-Mehran Park case at the Supreme Court’s Karachi Registry.

What has been left in Sukkur? Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Gulzar Ahmed asked the lawyer of Sukkur Municipal Corporation at the outset of the hearing.

Dolphins have become precious in Sukkur, while thousands of baby turtles lose their lives while traveling towards canals from the Indus River.

“The munciapal corpration has utterly failed in giving safe passage to the baby turtles.” The bench ordered the Sukur Municipal Corporation (SMC) to ensure the safety of the turtles and their breed.

“Sindh government, the municipal corporation should take steps to ensure the protection of the turtles in Sukkur,” the SC bench said in its order.

The top court also binned the plea of SMC seeking a ban on the Lab-e-Mehran Tourism project.

It must be noted that the CJP, Justice Gulzar Ahmed along with his fellow judges is currently in Karachi to hear important cases at the Supreme Court Karachi Registry.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court (SC) had sought details of welfare plots from the concerned authorities across Karachi.

The SC bench issued notices to the DG Karachi Development Authority (KDA), commissioner Karachi, administrator Karachi and all cantonment boards in this context.