The federal government announced on Friday that it is going to declare “Greater Thar” a national park after consultation with the government of Sindh and other stakeholders.

“Greater Thar” encompasses the districts of Tharparkar, Umerkot, Sanghar, Khairpur, and Ghotki.

“The Ministry of Climate Change will work with the Sindh government to declare Greater Thar a national park,” announced Federal Climate Change Secretary Naheed Shah Durrani during a webinar launching a vulture status report for Sindh.

The launching ceremony was organized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company, Baanh Beli, and the Sindh Wildlife Department. The vulture preservation project is being undertaken by Engro in partnership with the other stakeholders.

According to key findings of the report, a few vulture species are showing signs of an increase in Sindh despite some other vulture species being on the decline, and apart from Tharparkar–long considered a stronghold of vultures–the Khirthar National Park and its extended range up to the Gorakh Hills are now considered a population habitat of these critically endangered birds in Sindh.

Durrani asked the Sindh government to start preparing a concept for a national park in Tharparkar and assured her ministry’s full support.

“This work also will also help us create greater awareness among the people as well as in government functionaries and communities, and eventually goes towards the improvement and survival of such precious habitats,” she explained.

In his presentation, Dr ZB Mirza, the head of the survey team, said Tharparkar is a unique region where four species of vultures are residents and three are migratory. He recommended beginning monitoring vultures’ conservation and an awareness campaign be run for residents.

IUCN Country Representative Pakistan Mahmood Akhtar Cheema said the vulture population in Pakistan has declined steeply over the last 20 years and accelerated and joint efforts are now underway to save these large magnificent birds from the many threats they have been facing.

Former senator Javed Jabbar said vultures are disappearing because of the irrational use of a drug. He said that the survey reveals that only 15% of stores are aware that the drug is dangerous for the vulture population.

Sindh Wildlife Department Chief Conservator Javed Mahar blamed diclofenac sodium–a pain killer normally administered to livestock–for the rapid vanishing of the vulture population in the country. He said despite a ban since 2006 on the production and use of veterinary medicines containing diclofenac, the unauthorized use of the drug has continued with impunity, posing a major threat to the species.