The ever-increasing footprints of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), coupled with activities of the numerous insurgent camps and the Pakistani military, have drastically affected the ecology of the POJK (Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir) to a great extent.
According to media reports and expert commentators in Pakistan, the region’s ecology has suffered a drastic fall, and a sharp decline in forest cover has been reported. For obvious reasons, Pakistani commentators avoid discussing the military presence and insurgent activities, which Western Think-Tanks often cite.
On the other side, the Pakistani writers call for army intervention to stop clearing forests and smuggling of timber and wood by private contractors, claiming a conspiracy between government authorities and the “timber mafia.”
The CPEC passes through the Khunjerab Pass in the Gilgit Baltistan Region, where the spree of activities has increased as the Chinese seek more and more safer access across the unstable region where terrorists and insurgents have attacked their employees and enterprises. As a result, Pakistan now has a larger military presence.
Both parties support local commercial interactions, and the fragile ecology suffers from a huge loss.
An editorial in the Daily Siasat cited by Asian Lite International has expressed major concern over the “merciless cutting of timber, smuggling and deforestation in POJK.”
“The absence of a robust forest policy and corruption has made the situation very vulnerable,” it warns, adding, “The situation is alarming as it not only destroys resources of the POJK without any benefit to the state but also harmful for the environment.
Alternative fuel sources must be made available to end the cutting of trees. The issue requires rapid action to be resolved as the failure of this would lead to a serious environmental catastrophe.
The POJK is known as the forestry state, with the forest department in charge of 42 per cent of its 13,297 square kilometres (5134 sq. miles) of land. The POJK has roughly a population of 4.36 million people (88.12 per cent), of whom reside in rural areas and rely on agriculture, cattle, and forest resources.
Hammad Gilani wrote in the Pakistan Observer, as quoted by Asian Lite International, “A closer look reveals shocking losses, such as massive deforestation caused by the timber mafia in the undulating valleys of POJK and rapid deforestation in dense, green areas.”
“If this situation continues, forests and trees will soon be cut from POJK, and rainfall will stop in the region, which will terminate the natural beauty.”
Gilani laid the responsibility on the timber mafia that cooperates with the government. The political backing of the timber mafia is the main reason behind deforestation. As a result, the political class is disregarded, and the mafia keeps killing out the great blessing of nature.
Due to this human assault, this magnificent area becomes less beautiful as time passes. As dense woods steadily disappear, the ecology suffers as a result. The folks who live close to the woods have not received gasoline from the government.
The primary cause of deforestation is their unwise approach to using wood and forests for their everyday necessities. Most rural households utilise enormous trees taken from forests to build homes, ceilings, bridges, furniture and, most critically, fuel, the sole form of energy they have access to for cooking and heating.
According to the Asian Lite International, Hameed Gilani said that the local population also uses timber products “for cash.”
Also Read:
2) https://organiser.org/2022/03/02/72914/bharat/pojk-unfinished-agenda-of-partition/
