Heating up

This summer has proven to be one of the harshest in recent memory. The temperatures across Pakistan are rising at an alarming rate and, while cities like Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar have long struggled with summer heat due to overpopulation, traffic congestion and urbanisation, even villages and once-cool mountainous regions are facing intense heat. The root cause of this environmental shift is disturbingly clear: deforestation. In provinces like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the destruction of forests has reached an alarming level. Trees are being burned and chopped down, particularly in the mountainous regions, with little regard for the environmental consequences. What is even more disappointing is the lack of seriousness shown by those entrusted with protecting these forests.

The forest departments, which should serve as guardians of our natural heritage, are either inactive or, in some cases, contributing to the destruction themselves. The silence and inaction on such a critical issue speak volumes. If we continue down this path of environmental neglect, we

will leave behind a world filled with heat, scarcity, and struggle. We must return to the

spirit of planting, preserving and protecting. Each tree planted today is a promise for a better tomorrow.

Asad Ali Khan

Buner