Islamabad: A Senate agency has advised the governments of Sindh and Baluchistan to form a joint committee to resolve the issue of the jurisdiction of a patrimonial site in the Kirthar range within 30 days.
The Senate Functional Committee on problems of less developed areas witnessed a dispute over the jurisdiction of Kuttay Ji Qabar. Sindh claims the site located 25 kilometers from its boundary in Baluchistan.
The officials of the Department of Tourism and Culture of Sindh and the attached commissioner of Khuzdar challenged the property rights of the historical site located in Mouza Dhadaro, Union Council Sunchuko, Tehsil Kark, Khuzdar district, Baluchistan.
Sindh officials reported that a heritage site protected by the Sindh government in January 2025 had been declared.
Senate’s body refutes Sindh’s claim on Kuttay Ji Qabar
However, the Baluchistan government refutes this statement, arguing that historical records, maps and legal frameworks place the site under its administrative jurisdiction and that the village is 25 km within Baluchistan.
The officials expressed concern that it was the third time that Sindh claimed the site as a protected inheritance.
A representative of the Sindh government provided literary, historical and geographical references to support Sindh’s statement, emphasizing that the matter refers to jurisdictional clarification.
He also said that a resolution through coordination between both governments was preferable to increasing the problem in that forum.
The president of the Senate Committee, Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani, declared that constitutional issues involved both the province and the Federation.
He cited article 143 of the Constitution, highlighting that any dispute between two entities falls under the federal jurisdiction and must be addressed accordingly.
“I do not agree with Sindh’s position because, on the one hand, the province seeks a federal water disputes intervention, while, on the other, it denies the role of the federation in this matter,” added the president.
Senator Durrani said the limits changed, but that the current state had to be considered by Sindh.
“Historically, territorial limits have changed: where was this region in the fourth century BC, in 1711, or during the third battle of Panipat?” He said, he added: “Borders change over time due to wars and political changes, but the approach should be in the current legal state instead of historical geographical.”
Senator Durrani also questioned the electoral jurisdiction of the area, asking under what territory the residents of Kuttay Ji Qabar voted and demanded a list of voters.
He also pointed out that the current MPA of the disputed territory represented Baluchistan and not Sindh.
The members of the committee indicated that, although historical references were presented, the issue must be aligned with the constitutional provisions, which affirmed the area as part of Baluchistan.
The officials informed the committee that any territorial change required an approval of the majority of two thirds.
After listening to both parties, President Durrani recommended that both governments form a joint committee to resolve the matter in a friendly way within 30 days.
If the matter remained unsolved within 90 days, the Ministry of Interprovincial Coordination (IPC) will intervene, and once the problem is resolved, a report must be submitted to the Senate Committee.
The Committee was also informed about the gas distribution criteria, with a compliance report that will be presented in a future session.
The managing director of the oil division highlighted the scarcity of gas in the city of Sui as a great concern and described the key initiatives that benefit local residents.
The Danish Kumar senators, Muhammad Aslam Abro and Falak Naz was attended to the meeting.
Posted in Dawn, March 8, 2025
