Forest ministry withdrawn from Fazal Hakim

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Thursday withdrawn the portfolio of Climate Change, Forestry, Environment and Wildlife from Fazal Hakim Khan Yousafzai and gave him the portfolio of Livestock and Fisheries apparently after media reports about deforestation in various parts of the province.

According to insiders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the decision to change the portfolio of Fazal Hakim Khan Yousafzai was made by the party founding chairman during his recent meeting with Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in Adiala jail.

They said that there was a lot of criticism of the party leadership for giving an important ministry to a person who was not aware of climate change and its significance, when he was invited to a TV show.

Also, another major reason that deprived him of the portfolio was the widespread ruthless deforestation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in Swat, the hometown of Fazal Hakim Khan, and elsewhere in the Malakand region as well as in the Hazara region.

Some of the party leaders had also held the officials and staff of the forests department equally responsible for the destruction of forests in the province and recommended serious punitive measures against them. When reached, Fazal Hakim Khan avoided commenting on the issue