Commercial greed eyes protected spot

The breathtaking Saiful Malook and Lulusar-Dudipatsar National Parks in the Mansehra District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa stand as symbols of ecological significance and cultural heritage.

Designated as protected areas under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife and Biodiversity Act 2015, these parks are crucial for preserving endangered species and fragile ecosystems.

However, alleged attempts to exploit these sanctuaries by converting parts of them into "Trout Fish Parks" have sparked alarm among conservationists and local communities.

Sources said the proposed commercialisation, spearheaded by the Kaghan Development Authority (KDA) and the Fisheries Department, not only threatens the parks' ecological integrity but also raises legal, environmental, and ethical concerns.

"Disguised as an initiative to promote trout fishing, the proposal to establish trout fish parks in these national parks is a veiled attempt to commercialise protected areas for profit," they said.

By branding these zones as fish parks, the KDA and fisheries department aim to override the stringent protections afforded to national parks, thereby undermining their very purpose, they added.

Legal breach?

Pakistan's Constitution guarantees its citizens the right to a clean and healthy environment (Article 9) and the principles of sustainable development (Article 38). Moreover, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife and Biodiversity Act 2015 explicitly prohibits activities that degrade or disrupt the ecological balance of national parks.

"The Trout Fish Park proposal violates these legal protections. By attempting to take over the management of these parks, including issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and collecting fees, the KDA and Fisheries Department are bypassing the Wildlife Department," sources claimed.

International commitments

Pakistan is a signatory to numerous international conventions obligating it to conserve biodiversity and protect natural ecosystems.

The Trout Fish Park proposal allegedly disregards the Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD) Article 8 which emphasises the importance of in-situ conservation within protected areas.

Sources said commercial fish parks contravene this obligation by prioritising exploitation over preservation.

Although not formally listed as biosphere reserves, these parks fulfil UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Programme criteria for ecological and cultural preservation.

Community resistance

The proposal has been met with strong resistance from local communities, including elders and traditional stakeholders who rely on the parks' ecosystems for their livelihoods. "Their exclusion from the decision-making process violates the participatory principles upheld in both national and international conservation frameworks," sources added.

Locals claimed that the Trout Fish Park proposal represents a direct challenge to Pakistan's conservation efforts and international obligations.

"It calls for immediate action from conservation organisations such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)."