Balochistan High Court Admits Petition Against Alleged Illegal Transfer of Forest Lands in Ziarat and Harnai

QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court has admitted a petition challenging the alleged illegal transfer of forest lands in Ziarat, Harnai, and other districts, and has issued notices to the relevant government departments and authorities.

According to a statement issued by Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Central General Secretary Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, a grand jirga was held on July 24, 2025, under the chairmanship of Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai to discuss the cancellation of what participants described as unconstitutional and illegal transfers of approximately 250,000 acres of forest land.

The jirga was attended by political leaders, tribal elders, religious scholars, and residents from Ziarat and surrounding areas. Following extensive discussions, participants decided to organize a protest rally and public gathering in Ziarat on August 1, 2025, under the leadership of Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai to determine a future course of action.

The protest and public meeting were subsequently held, where political and social leaders, tribal elders, and religious figures demanded the cancellation of the alleged transfer of hundreds of thousands of acres of forest land.

Ziaratwal said that a delegation of elders from Ziarat and Harnai later met Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, who assured them that the matter would be addressed. However, after waiting for a considerable period without a resolution, the jirga decided to file a constitutional petition before the Balochistan High Court.

During the hearing, advocates Habib Nasir, Sher Shah Kasi, and several other lawyers appeared on behalf of the petitioners from Ziarat and Harnai. The court admitted the case and issued notices to all concerned government institutions.

Ziaratwal thanked the legal team for pursuing the case and urged residents and representatives from other districts where forest and wildlife lands have allegedly been transferred unlawfully to become part of the petition. He said the objective is to ensure the reversal of all illegal and unconstitutional land transfers across the province.