THIS refers to the illegal occupation, destruction and demolition by the land mafia of a cultural property Sir Henry Holland Eye Hospital, Shikarpur.

The hospital has been declared `protected heritage` by the Culture Department of the Sindh government. It is well-known to students of history, culture and archaeology that Shikarpur has rich history, culture and civilisation. This includes classical buildings.

In 1994, to save it from destruction, encroachment or defacement by the land mafia, the Sindh government, through the Sindh Cultural Heritage Preservation Act, declared Shikarpur a `historic city` and `protected heritage` Sir Henry Holland Eye Hospital was built by a philanthropist, Shri Hiranand Mendha, in 1909 as a charity hospital. In 1976, some Hindu merchants by mutual consent conditionally handed over the hospital to a Christian missionary and got it registered as a trust through Evacuee Property Trust Board.

It was also renamed as Sir Henry Holland Missionary Eye Hospital. Since then, the institute has been working under the trust.

The trustees have unlawfully sold out the hospital to the land mafia and the building has been partially destroyed. Now the land is being utilised unlawfully for commercial use.

I request the Chief Justice of Pakistan and Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court to take suo motu notice of this violation of law.

Zubair Soomro Shikarpur