SWAT: A complete ban has been imposed on cutting of forests and in this regard, Provincial Forest and Environment Minister Fazal Hakeem Khan Yousafzai has given a clear message that all types of cutting will be banned in view of the public’s concerns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Provincial Minister of Forests and Environment Fazal Hakeem said that the ban on deforestation will be imposed in the entire province , added that in this initiative, under the ongoing schemes under the Private Woodlots Rules 2017 in the province, the ban on deforestation will be found in the public interest.
“It has been raised in view of the anxiety and objections raised by social media and civil society,” he said.
He said that special committees have been formed to monitor all harvesting activities and ensure accuracy and transparency in all processes so that they can monitor the harvesting of approved working plans and other schemes in a transparent manner and identify irregularities.
The provincial minister warned that the public will be informed in a timely manner about the objectives of deforestation in a scientific manner.
He strictly directed the senior officials of the forest department to monitor the process in a transparent manner and use all capabilities to ensure the work so as to ensure the protection of the forests.
“It should be remembered that for the past several days in Swat, videos regarding deforestation were appearing on social media. Taking strict notice of this, the provincial forest minister has issued a ban order.”
