SWAT: A determined group of hikers from different cities successfully completed a challenging 6-day mountain walk to raise awareness about deforestation and climate change. The trek started at a remote village of Utror Valley, Swat and ended at Sulatanr village of Matta Tehsil Swat. During the journey, the participants crossed three challenging passes: Loye Phanghary, Karh and Usherai and observed 20 alpine lakes. They have withstood a variety of weather conditions, including hail, snow, rain, strong winds and intense sunlight.
The primary objective of this initiative was to educate the general public about the critical issues of deforestation and climate change and to call on the international community to confront these pressing environmental challenges. 21 tourists, including one female and 20 males, representing cities like Faisalabad, Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and others participated in the event.
Dr. Adnan Yusafzai, Professor of Economics at IBA Karachi and a participant in the trek, emphasized the urgency of addressing climate change and deforestation. He stated: “It is alarming that we take climate change for granted and cut down forests using so-called legal techniques. Pakistan cannot afford any further rise in temperature as some cities have already recorded temperatures reaching 55 degrees Celsius. He further emphasized that the global climate crisis is not being taken seriously by capitalists and represents a significant threat to the planet.
Kishwar Ameer, a trekker and climate change activist from Islamabad, expressed her gratitude for being a part of this initiative. She commented: “I am lucky to be a part of this important cause, high mountain trekking for climate change. Experiencing harsh climates and extreme mountain walks like this gives a real sense of the importance of forest conservation.”
Mr. Azhar Uddin, organizer of the event, mountaineer and ecotourism activist, thanked the participants for their dedication. He stated, “This planet is a blessing and we are privileged to have a rich diversity of natural resources in our country. It is our responsibility to preserve these resources for future generations.”
Apart from raising awareness, the trekkers actively contributed to conservation efforts by planting Deodar trees in Utror village and spreading seeds of alpine medicinal plants in the alpine range.
The six-day mountain walk not only highlighted the urgent need to protect the environment, but also showed the collective determination of individuals from different backgrounds to protect the planet.
