All forests in Torghar handed back to owners

MANSEHRA: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led provincial government has given back the ownership right of forests to local tribes in Torghar district.

“This is a milestone decision taken by provincial government and henceforth all forests in Torghar are once again the property of local people,” Zargul Khan, the advisor to chief minister told reporters here on Friday.

In 2011, the Awami National Party’s’ then government had giving Torghar the status of a settled district and all forests were declared as government property. “Now that protective policy through which ANP government had snatched tribes’ century’s old right of ownership of forests, has been revoked by provincial cabinet in its last meeting,” said Zargul Khan.

He said that a committee which was constituted by the chief minister had earlier

given its approval for returning the frosts to owners and the cabinet had approved the decision.