DLP Report
PESHAWAR
An important meeting held here on Tuesday with secretary climate change, forest and environment Junaid Khan in the chair, reviewed the efforts to protect the province’s forest resources through a comprehensive and scientific re-demarcation initiative.
A statement issued here stated that the meeting reviewed in detail the provincial government initiative to securing legal boundaries and resolving long-standing disputes with the help of Survey of Pakistan and other key stakeholders.
The meeting was attended by senior officials, including Talha Hussain Faisal, Special Secretary; Muhammad Junaid Dyar, Project Director of the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami Project; and Chief Conservators of Forests from multiple regions.
Secretary Junaid Khan emphasized the critical importance of forests, describing them not just as collections of trees, but as vital ecosystems that balance land, water, atmosphere, and human life. He stressed that the Forest Department is committed to tackling encroachments within the boundaries of the law, while respecting human dignity and judicial processes.
A key focus of the meeting was the ongoing efforts to finalize forest boundaries, with collaboration from the Revenue Department, district administration, and local communities. Secretary Khan affirmed that the department will not allow any part of the province’s natural heritage to fall into neglect.
Shoukat Fayaz, Chief Conservator Forests for Region Two, provided a detailed update on the re-demarcation of Reserved Forests in the Northern Forest Region-II, covering areas such as Haripur, Gallies, Siran, Kaghan, and Agror Tanawal. The re-demarcation project, supported by national initiatives like the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami Program, has already seen significant progress, including the completion of boundary identification and partial retrieval of encroached land.
However, challenges such as discrepancies between forest and revenue records, encroachments, and rugged terrain have slowed progress in some areas. Asghar Khan, Chief Conservator for Region Three, reported that the re-demarcation process in Malakand Division, including Dir, Swat, and Chitral, is still pending due to concerns raised by local communities. He noted that district administrations are addressing these concerns to ensure smooth progress.
Secretary Khan concluded the meeting by directing that any pending work be expedited, with separate meetings among relevant stakeholders to ensure effective and sustainable protection of the province’s forest lands.
