Sindh govt decides to allocate land for new graveyards in Karachi

KARACHI: The Sindh government on Friday decided to allocate new land for graveyards in Karachi.

The decision was taken in a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary Sindh Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah.

The decision was taken keeping in view the position of already filled graveyards in the metropolitan.

Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Ahmed Shallwani while briefing the meeting said graveyards in Karachi were out of space and that there was an immediate need to establish new graveyards in all six districts of the city.

Shallwani further said there were 203 graveyards under the administration of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) in the city.

Out of 203, there were 184 graveyards for Muslims, 12 for Christian, five for Hindus and one each for Jews and Parses.

He further said KMC was also developing three new graveyards in the city at Surjani sector 16, Link Road N-5 at Superhighway and at Taiser- Gaddap town.

Shah stated that the lack of space in graveyards has emerged as a major issue. "There was an urgent need to allocate more land for graveyards not only for Muslims but also for minorities."

Shah has directed the Sindh Board of Revenue to convene a meeting of Reserve Committee of Board of Revenue to reserve the available state land 300 acres in Gaddap, 200 acres in Bin Qasim and five acres in Korangi for the graveyards.

He further said that a summary about the available land would also be submitted to the Sindh Cabinet for approval.

Furthermore, Shah directed Commissioner Karachi and all deputy commissioners to identify more available state land for graveyards in districts West and East of Karachi.

The secretary has asked Shallwani and KMC to submit a plan/mechanism regarding the administration of new graveyards within a week.