PTI govt forms policies to protect greenery in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Durrani trying to protect corrupt officials: K-P forests minister

PESHAWAR: K-P Forests Minister Muhammad Ishtiaq Urmar has said that former K-P chief minister and current opposition leader Akram Durrani had contacted him for not taking action against those corrupt officers who had been involved in corruption in the billion-tree-tsunami project.

Government will thoroughly investigate logging under the cover of legal loophole known as windfall policy, he said talking to The Express Tribune.

Under the distorted windfall policy thousands of aged and old trees were marked as unfit for further growth and legally prepared to be cut down.

Government would investigate windfall project and the cases would be referred to National Accountability Bureau, he said.

The forest minister said they would defend the billion-tree tsunami on every forum, while the opposition clinched to the windfall policy of cutting more trees.

“We have been investigating forest issues from MMA and ANP era. And 350 employees of forest department faced investigation, among these action was taken against five, but Opposition Akram Durrani was trying to protect them,” Urmar said.

However, he said, Durrani’s request was declined.

Urmar said that PTI was trying to plant billion trees whereas MMA and ANP cut down timber worth Rs200 billion.

PTI government has formed policies to protect greenery of the province, “government will allow cutting of only dead and dry trees.”

He said government will plant chilgoza trees (Pinus gerardiana) in North and South Waziristan.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1^st, 2019.