Peshawar: Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Wildlife, Forests, Environment, and Climate Change, Pir Musavir Khan, in his message on International Markhor Day, said the day is observed to raise public awareness about the markhor’s significance, the threats it faces, its ecological role, and the need for its conservation. He emphasized that the provincial government is fully committed to protecting the markhor and is taking comprehensive steps to ensure its survival. In Chitral, Kohistan, and other regions, both the government and local communities are actively engaged in conservation efforts. The SACM highlighted that 80 percent of the revenue from markhor trophy hunting is reinvested in local development through Village Conservation Committees. During his recent visit to Chitral, Rs. 170 million—earned from trophy hunting in 2024–25—was distributed among these committees in Chitral and Kohistan. Thanks to sustained efforts, the markhor population in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has now surpassed 6,000. News Desk
