CHITRAL UPPER
To finalize the management plan of Hindu Kash landscape, a one-day stakeholder consultation workshop was organized in Chitral in which more than 55 stakeholders including women from different sectors participated. Representatives from the Wildlife Department, Forest Department, Livestock Department, Agriculture Department, and other government and non-government agencies as well as local community representatives were also involved. DFO of Wildlife Division Chitral Farooq Nabi and Director of Agriculture Research Station Dr. Abdul Rauf besides Dr. Shoaib Hameed of Snow Leopard Foundation, RPM Chitral Jamiullah Shirazi, Dr. Safirullah of the Livestock Department, and Ijaz Ahmed of the Forest Department attended the event.
The community representatives expressed their views about the management plan. He said that the snow leopard is a very important animal in the ecosystem of this area and its presence in a natural environment is a guarantee of its health.
He said that the absence of snow leopards in this ecosystem for the past several years is a cause for concern and indicates that we have disturbed the balance of the environment. For Nature and Dr. Ali Nawaz, Dr. Shoaib Hameed and Dr. Jafaruddin of the Snow Leopard Foundation worked on the plan, which is an important milestone in the history of conservation of the snow leopard and its environment.
The participants took keen interest in the details of the work plan and expressed views through their views and comments on its content and community representatives voiced their concerns which will be incorporated before finalizing the plan so that it be fully reflective of stakeholders’ aspirations and actionable. The organizers welcomed these suggestions and concerns and assured to incorporate them into the plan.
Earlier, former Inspector General of Forests Pakistan Dr. Syed Mahmood Nasir gave a detailed presentation on the Hindukush Management Plan and highlighted its various aspects including its aims and objectives, conservation obstacles and challenges and recommendations.
