Owners want say in policy on Chitral forests

CHITRAL: The representatives of various forest-owned areas on Sunday warned the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government against taking any decision about the forest in the district before taking them into confidence.
“We will not accept any forced decision about the natural resources of the area,” Major (r) Ahmad Saeed told a protest gathering in Drosh. The residents of Arundu, Domail, Ishrat, Shishi Koh and Kalash valleys had staged the rally.
Major (r) Ahmed Saeed, former nazim Maghfirat Shah, Sher Muhammad, Sohrab Khan and others addressed the rally.
The speakers came down hard on the adviser to chief minister on environment and forest, Ishtiaq Urmar, for what they said changing his stance after a meeting with them. “A policy about Chitral cannot be made in Bani Gala,” Ahmed Saeed said, adding, the adviser must take the relevant people into confidence before taking any decision.