John Mock & Kimberley O'Neil



Table II - History of Court Cases Involving Chitral Gol National Park

DatePrivate Property RegimeState Property RegimeCommon Property Regime
1880Mehtar Aman ul Mulk declares Chitral Gol his private hunting preserven/an/a
1953 Mar 19Agreement between Mehtar of Chitral and Governor General (President) of Pakistan that Mehtar retains his personal property, including Chitral Gol, when he surrenders sovereignty over Chitral State to the Government of Pakistan.n/aVillages surrounding Chitral Gol share grazing, firewood, and timber rights of usage in Chitral Gol.
1961 Nov 3Letter F.3 (9) - F.II/61 from Deputy Secretary Ministry of States and Frontier Region to Secretary Government of West Pakistan Home Department reaffirms that Chitral Gol is the private property of Saiful Mulk Nasir.n/an/a
1969n/aChitral State merges into Pakistan.n/a
1971 Nov 13n/aGovernment of NWFP constitutes Chitral Land Dispute Inquiry Commission.n/a
1971 Dec 23n/aChitral Gol (19,112 acres) is declared a wildlife sanctuary for five years by Commissioner of Malakand Division.n/a
1974Distribution of Property (Chitral) Regulation 1974. Law Department affirms 1953 decision of President of Pakistan.n/an/a
1975 Jul 31n/aGovernment NWFP Home & Tribal Affairs Department order No. 10/31 - SOTA, II (HD)/73 declares that all forests, charagahs, shikargahs are state property and identifies 73 chakorams (26.5 acres) in Chitral Gol, bearing an annual income of Rs. 12,000, as property of ex-Mehtar of Chitral, Saiful Mulk Nasir, and remaining land as state property.Public concession, regulated by government, is granted villagers to:
  • (a) obtain dry firewood;
  • (b) obtain timber for private use under a permit
  • (c) graze cattle
1976 Mar 29Court of Joint Secretary, Chitral Land Dispute Inquiry Commission, Board of Revenue, NWFP, Peshawar, rules in favor of deletion of 73 chakoram limit to personal property of Saiful Mulk Nasir.n/an/a
1976 Aug 2n/aSheikh Mohammad Rashid, Chairman, Federal Land Commission, sets aside March 29, 1976 ruling by Joint Secretary.n/a
1979 Jan 25n/aGovernment of NWFP declares Chitral Gol a permanent wildlife sanctuary.n/a
1981 Dec 16n/an/aGovernment of NWFP gives double timber quota, 2 mini-hydel stations, and priority for staffing in Chitral Gol wildlife sanctuary to villagers affected by same.
1982 Jan 25Justice Qaisar Khan (retired), Chairman, Tribunal Land Disputes, Dir, Swat & Chitral declares invalid August 2, 1976 ruling by Chairman, Federal Land Commission.n/an/a
1983 Aug 3Saiful Mulk Nasir vs. Government of NWFP begins in court of Senior Civil Judge Chitral; runs to November 3 1994n/an/a
1984 Oct 18n/aChitral Gol is declared a national park.n/a
1986 Feb 6n/aRs. 20,50,000 is paid to DC Chitral by Forestry Division (Wildlife), NWFP, for acquisition of 73 chakorams from Saiful Mulk Nasirn/a
1987 Oct 31n/an/aSenior Civil Judge Chitral rules that since Saiful Mulk Nasir recognizes rights of people of Goldor, Sangor, Maklanda and Jang Bazaar, they need not be party to suit of Saiful Mulk Nasir.
1988 June 14Peshawar High Court dismisses federal government writ petition 592 against deletion of 73 chakoram limit.n/an/a
1989 Jul 27Saiful Mulk Nasir letter to DC Chitral requesting all income from Chitral Gol be given to him, including markhor hunting royalties.n/an/a
1990 Jan 17Supreme Court of Pakistan dismisses federal government petition against deletion of 73 chakoram limit.n/an/a
1991 May 28Notification of Home & Tribal Affairs Department deletes word "chakoram" from Order No. 10/31 - SOTA, II (HD)/73.n/an/a
1992 Apr 28n/an/aGhulam Mohammad of Balach village, adjacent to Chitral Gol, claims ownership of property in Chitral Gol and rights to graze cattle and collect fire wood.
1992 May 20Senior Civil Judge Chitral dismisses application of Ghulam Mohammad.n/an/a
1993 Feb 10Saiful Mulk Nasir proposes operating Chitral Gol as private game sanctuary.n/an/a
1993 May 11n/an/aDistrict Judge sets aside May 20, 1992 dismissal and orders Senior Civil Judge to record evidence and decide application of Ghulam Mohammad.
1994 Nov 3Court of Senior Civil Judge Chitral rules that Chitral Gol in its entirety is personal property of Saiful Mulk Nasir and that declaration by government as a Wildlife Sanctuary is illegal. Court also rejects application of Ghulam Mohammad.n/an/a
1995 May 22n/an/aCourt of District and Session Judge, Chitral. People of Goldor, Sangor, Maklanda, and Jang Bazaar vs. Saiful Mulk Nasir and the Government of NWFP, appealing decision of Senior Civil Judge Chitral of November 3, 1994. Villagers petition to have Chitral Gol recognized as common property and that they have equal rights with Saiful Mulk Nasir, including rights to any royalty fees. Court cancels November 3, 1994 decision of Senior Civil Judge Chitral, makes villagers a party in that case, and sends it back to Senior Civil Judge Chitral.
Forward to Table III - History of Khunjerab National Park
Back to Table of Contents for Mountain Protected Areas in Pakistan: The Case of the National Parks


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