CSOs to move PHC for probe into wildfires

PESHAWAR: A group of civil society organizations (CSOs) has expressed the intention to move the Peshawar High Court (PHC) to seek directives to the authorities to constitute a commission to investigate the recent wildfires and the deforestation in the province.

A press release issued by Sarhad Conservation Network, Institute of Architects of Pakistan, Karwan Tehreek, Hayatabad Citizens forum, Clean & Green Peshawar, Clean & Green Pakistan, Usmania Welfare Trust Peshawar Youth Organisation said that the purpose of moving the PHC is to make those involved in these sad acts accountable.

It said on May 22, this year the government of Pakistan declared a state of emergency as the extensive forest fire at Koh-e-Suleman mountain range renowned for the world’s largest Chilgoza (pine nuts) caught fire and spread over an area of more than 26,000 hectares, producing 640,000kg of high-quality pine nuts annually.

It destroyed hundreds of thousands of livelihoods and was a major source of foreign exchange in adjoining areas of Waziristan and Balochistan.

The press release said the fires continued to rage for several days as both KP and Balochistan Forest Department officials miserably failed to control the fire owing to their untrained staff and lack of modern technology.

This huge fire was followed by a series of forest fires at different locations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Apart from casualties to humans, wildlife, precious birds and trees were also burnt into ashes. The fires were brought under control after three weeks of a horrendous situation.

The CSOs said it has been reported in the media that from the end of May to mid-June, over 400 forest fires in different districts of KP damaged 14,430 acres of forests and pastures.

The highest number —129 forest fires—was reported in the Abbottabad district.

The Forestry, Environment and Wildlife Department, is investigating the incident and causes of forest fires and a report is eagerly awaited.

The press release said the CSOs plan to hold a seminar to debate the factors and causes behind the most destructive wildfire in KP history and ongoing deforestation.

The press release said Secretary to Forestry Environment and Wildlife Muhammad Abid Majeed while addressing the “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Working Group on Voluntary Carbon Market” forum in Peshawar, revealed that KP comprises 45 per cent of the country’s forest cover and 51 per cent of the country’s forest carbon stocks respectively.

The official said “temperate forests of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa contain about 170-tonne Carbon per hectare, being the most carbon-dense forests of Pakistan.

Therefore, he stressed that “prevention of one-hectare deforestation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa means emission reduction of 367 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

He said there exists a sequential potential of Carbon stocks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which can result in the reduction of the climate change vulnerability in Pakistan.

Like many countries globally, Pakistan’s forests are under serious threat from deforestation and forest degradation. Pakistan has 4.2 million hectares of forest and planted trees - which equates to 4.8 per cent of the total land area.

Despite a large area of forest cover, in Pakistan, the annual deforestation rate is highest, which according to one estimate is 1.5 per cent.

In recent months, a spate of forest fires/wildfires has revealed a threatening aspect of the depleting forests in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where lack of awareness and protection of the natural resources have already put the region at grave risk.

Forest fires can be a direct threat to local communities’

lives, ecosystems, tourism and economy as well as the cause of air pollution and climate change risk.

The director general Audit, KP has cautioned that the province is the worst affected area due to the lack of protection of forests, thus drawing the province into limelight and ineffective response by the government institutions responsible for protecting natural assets including forests and wildlife.