ISLAMABAD
Experts have warned that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the rest of Pakistan have reached a critical environmental tipping point due to 18% decline in the country’s forest cover — exposing the environment, economy, and national security to serious threats.
Deforestation, the destruction of rangelands, forest fires, and climate change-related threats are directly contributing to devastating floods, landslides, and cloudbursts. Since 1992, forest area has decreased by 18%, while rangelands are producing only 20-30% of their potential biomass, with KP having the largest share in this decline.
The catastrophic floods of 1992, 2010, and 2025 prove that the destruction of forests and rangelands has turned the watersheds of the upper regions into “flood factories”. Environmental experts say forests in Pakistan are not just trees but the country’s first line of defence for the environment, economy, and national security.
They absorb rainwater to prevent flash floods, recharge groundwater, protect agricultural land from erosion, and sustain soil fertility for farming. They balance the climate by reducing temperatures, storing carbon, and regulating rainfall. The forests also provide fuel, fodder, fruits, medicines, and tourism opportunities while protecting biodiversity.
They shield the country from floods, landslides, and droughts, safeguarding infrastructure, agriculture, and human settlements. The conclusion is clear without urgent restoration and strict measures. Pakistan faces severe environmental and economic risks but with effective policies and action forests can play a decisive role in securing the nation’s future.
In Pakistan, forest cover has dropped from 3.78 million hectares in 1992 to 3.09 million hectares in 2025 — an 18% reduction. Annual deforestation, which was on peaked at about 40,000 hectares in 1992, has declined due to government intervention to 11,000 hectares in 2025, but international organisations say that even today, Pakistan continues to lose about 11,000 hectares of forest annually.
