80% forest fires reported on private lands of K-P

Minister advises against politicising billion-tree tsunami project

PESHAWAR:

Provincial Minister for Forests, Environment and Wildlife, Syed Ishtiaq Urmar has said that about 80 per cent of forest fire incidents were reported in the private lands of Khyber-Pakthunkhwa.

In a statement on Monday, he said severe heat waves owing to climate change, throwing of burning matchsticks in forests mostly by tourists and communities were the major reasons behind the forest fires in K-P.      

The minister claimed that billion tree plantations were mostly saved in K-P due to coordinated efforts of the forest department, Rescue 1122, Police and district administration.    

He highlighted that 12 forest guards had laid down lives while fighting against the timber mafia and fire, adding that one forest guard recently passed away during a firefighting incident.       

Urmar informed reporters that 53 persons had lit fire only for TikTok videos out of which 42 accused persons were arrested.

He said the noose around timber mafia has been tightened and reserved forests were protected from them.         

“The billion trees project should not be politicised as it was a national project,” the minister said. “It has been acknowledged by the international union of conservation of nature (IUCN), World Economic Forum and validated by WFF.”

 Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2022.