Islamabad
German Ambassador to Pakistan, Ina Lepel met the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Khan Gandapur in Islamabad on Tuesday. The meeting focused on matters of mutual interest, particularly development projects in the province being carried out with the cooperation of German institutions in the social sector. Both sides expressed their resolve to broaden the scope of cooperation in various fields. The meeting was also attended by MNA Faisal Amin Gandapur, senior officials of the Forest Department, and representatives from the German Embassy.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur appreciated the role of German institutions in extending support to social sector initiatives and expressed the provincial government’s desire to further enhance collaboration with Germany in potential sectors. He stated that the province was investing in key areas to generate additional revenue and expected greater support from international partners in the same sectors.
The Chief Minister underlined that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was confronted with major challenges, particularly those related to law and order and climate change. He said the provincial government was working on a number of projects to mitigate the impact of climate change, including the construction of small dams and watershed management schemes aimed at reducing flood damages, for which international assistance was required.
Highlighting the province’s priorities, the Chief Minister said that German technical assistance was particularly needed for forest conservation and scientific management. He emphasized the importance of modernizing the Forest Institute in line with contemporary requirements and equipping its staff with advanced training.
He added that providing alternative sources of fuel in the hilly areas was crucial to curbing deforestation, an area where there was significant potential for collaboration between the provincial government and German organizations.
Ali Amin Gandapur further noted that GPS technology and cataloguing were being employed to monitor and prevent illegal logging and timber transportation, and that the government was also working on the establishment of a dedicated Forest Force.
He pointed out that as a result of the government’s efforts, the province had witnessed a remarkable increase in wildlife populations, and a comprehensive forest management system had also been introduced.
