PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) provincial President Mian Iftikhar Hussain on Saturday expressed concern over cutting of trees in Swat and other parts of Malakand Division.
In a statement, he regretted that the authorities concerned were justifying the cutting of precious trees instead of taking action against the culprits. “The exercise is being given legal cover under Wood Lot Rules 2017,” he said and urged the provincial government to take notice of the situation. “The country is already facing serious environmental issues. And instead of planting more trees, the existing ones are being chopped off,” he went on to add.
Mian Iftikhar said the civil society staged a rally in Swat to condemn deforestation. The authorities concerned must take steps to save the precious forest in Malakand Division to meet the challenges of climate change, he added.
The ANP leader asked the government to launch a probe into the frequent incidents of wildfire in various forests in the province.