The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Forestry, Environment and Wildlife Department has prepared recommendations for abolishing the protected status of the Ayubia National Park along with Balakot’s Malakandi and Kamal Ban national parks.
Malakandi and Kamal Ban are home to ancient trees with 2,500-year-old trees as well as a large number of wild animals. Deprivation of the Malakandi and Kamal Ban of the national parks status poses a serious threat of deforestation and erosion of the wildlife habitats in these parks.
Local stakeholders, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Pakistan as well as former environment minister Senator Sherry Rahman also opposed the removal of the protected status of Malakandi, Kamal Ban and Ayubia national parks in their message on X – a popular social media platform.
In January 2022, the Kamal Ban and Malakandi forests, spanning on an area of 5,456 and 19,971 acres respectively were awarded the status of the national parks. After these two parks were given the status of national parks, not only the forests were preserved on a large scale but the wildlife also got protection. However, the Forestry, Environment and Wildlife Department has now sent recommendations to the K-P chief minister to withdraw the national parks status of Malakandai, Kamal Ban and Ayubia.
In the Kaghan Valley, Malakandi, Kamal Ban, Lake Saiful Malook and Lake Dudipatsar have the status of national parks at present.
Balakot Tehsil Council Member Illyas Ahmed, who is also the chairman of the local village council, said: “The biggest advantage of the Malakandi National Park is that it has a 2500-year-old tree as well as many other trees that are centuries old.”
Since Malakandi has been given the status of a national park, the forests and wildlife have been protected and after the withdrawal of its special status, not only the forests will be affected again, but the wildlife habitats will also be affected, forcing it to intrude into human settlements.
On the other hand, the local population of Kamal Bank is in favour of ending the status of Kamal Ban National Park. The locals have also approached the court to de-notify the status of the Kamal Ban National Park.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2023.
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