Daily Times

Provincial Minister for Forests, Environment and Wildlife, Syed Ishtiaq Urmar has said that about eighty percent forests’ fire incidents were reported in private lands in Khyber Pakthunkhwa.

He said severe heat waves owing to climate change, throwing of burning matchsticks in forests mostly by tourists and communities were major reasons behind forest fire in KP. In a statement, the minister claimed that billion tree plantations were mostly saved in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to coordinated efforts of the Forest Department, RESCUE 1122, Police and District Administration.He said 12 forest guards had laid down lives while fighting against timber mafia and fire, adding one forest guard has recently died during fire-fighting incidents. The minister said 53 persons had lit fire only for TikTok videos out of whom 42 accused were arrested. He said noose around timber mafia has been tightened and protected as well as reserved forests were saved from timber mafia.He said the billion trees project should not be politicized as it was a national project.He said the billion trees project has been acknowledged by the international union of conservation of nature (IUCN), World Economic Forum and validated by WFF.