CBC put on notice on plea against ban on horse, camel riding at Sea View

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) and others on a petition of camel and horse riders seeking permission to carry out their business in the Sea View area.

Petitioners Asghar Hussain and others submitted that they were contractors of horse and camel riders who were engaged in the collection of rights for offering rides on horses, camels and vehicles at the sea shore. They said that there were more than 400 persons who earned their livelihood through camel, horse riding and motorbike business at sea shore. They submitted that the CBC had banned the entry of horse and camel riders on the shore on the premise that there was a stay order from court while there was no restraining order from any court to stop camel and horse riding at the shore.

They submitted that it cost Rs500 to Rs1,000 daily to maintain a camel or a horse and if the petitioners and other workers were not allowed to run their businesses at Sea View, they would not be able to keep their animals in good health and their families would also suffer due to the loss of livelihood.

They said that they were providing recreational activities to the picnickers at Sea View and if they were stopped to work, the families of the petitioners would suffer irreparable loss. They said the CBC was approached to remove the restrictions on camel and horse riding activities but instead of providing any relief, the authorities registered several FIRs against the petitioners and their workers.

They said the cantonment board may be directed to conduct an auction for the contract for collection of horse and camel rider fees and they may be allowed to run their businesses. The high court was requested to allow the petitioners to run their business at the Clifton and Sea View beaches and direct the cantonment board to carry out an auction for the collection of horse and camel fees and before such an auction, then directly collect fees from the petitioners and other camel and horse riders.

A division bench of the high court comprising Justice Mohammad Junaid Ghaffar and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito, after a preliminary hearing of the petition, issued notices to a federal law officer, CBC and others, and called their comments on the next hearing.