Long-ignored Chinji National Park opens

Since 1987, the forest reserve existed only on papers

ISLAMABAD:

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam on Monday inaugurated the long-ignored Chinji National Park.

Situated in the heart of the Salt Range, the park has been established after 33 years since it was declared a reserve forest.

Addressing the inauguration of an information centre and a watchtower established at the Chinji National Park, Aslam said the national park was declared a forest reserve in 1987 and had only existed on papers.

He said the Ministry of Climate Change in cooperation with the provincial Forest Department had materialised the forest reserve project.

He said the national park was sprawling over 15,003 acres land with picturesque trails, green cover, a small dam newly built under the project and it had a jeep track as well.

“It is one of the national parks being established under Prime Minister Imran Khan's protected area initiative under which the existing 30 national parks have been scaled up to 45 with a 50 per cent increase,” said the special assistant to the PM.

He said the information centre was a modern facility developed at the pattern of global national parks with all necessary information on flora and fauna existing in the park.

A watchtower built with stones was also set up with indigenous building material that provides a beautiful and complete view of the national park extended before its observer, he added.

He said there were around 12 security guards hired to provide facilitation and monitoring of the park. The SAPM said local communities were given green jobs under this initiative whereas no hunting was allowed in the national park.

He added that a track and trace system would also be developed at the national park to ensure navigation of the park guards and visitors.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2021.