First National Wildlife Policy soon

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Mushahidullah Khan has instructed the Forest and Wildlife Department to formulate the country’s first National Wildlife Policy.

For starting consultative process on the proposed policy, the minister has called a meeting of all the provinces and stakeholders on December 15.

After the successful approval of Pakistan First National Forest Policy, for which process was started in 2015 on the direction of then prime minister of Pakistan, a comprehensive Forest Policy was finalized in consultation with the provinces and the Council of Common Interest in a meeting held in September 2017.

Although, the Forest Policy is a provincial subject, the National Forest Policy was formulated to meet the contemporary challenges of fast changing developments that transcend provincial and national boundaries. “Healthy wildlife plays an important role in maintaining the ecosystem. Pakistan is a land of diverse wildlife that plays an important role in environment” said the minister.

He said wildlife in Pakistan faced various dangers in form of climate change effects, Illegal hunting and import, unhealthy nutrition and unsustainable commercial use. It’s very important to take initiatives to protect wildlife of Pakistan. It was need of hour to formulate a comprehensive National Wildlife Policy to ensure healthy and protective wildlife in Pakistan.