ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Climate Change was told that nearly 4 million cubic feet of timber has been cut over the past three decades in Diamer district and adjoining areas of Gilgit-Baltistan, Hum newspaper reported.
According to a report presented by G-B Additional Secretary for Forests Zaid, unchecked deforestation has not only severely threatened the region’s ecological balance but also directly affected the livelihoods, economy and natural resources of the local population.
Quoting data from the REDD+ Cell and the Karakoram International University, the report said natural forests in Gilgit-Baltistan account for only 3.58 per cent of the land, while 18.98 per cent consists of snow and glaciers, 14.54 per cent of pastures, and 61.38 per cent of barren land and rocks. Social forests cover just 0.61 per cent.
About 70 per cent of the forests in Diamer are privately owned, which limits government oversight. “Poverty, reliance on wood as fuel, lack of alternative construction materials, and the damage caused during sectarian violence in the 1980s have all compounded the severity of the problem,” the report noted.
Although a complete ban on logging was imposed in 1993, illegal cutting only increased afterwards. At least five amnesty schemes were introduced between 1998 and 2020, while satellite mapping of forests and carbon stock assessments were conducted in 2016 and 2020 with SUPARCO’s assistance. A new carbon accounting plan is being developed for 2025, alongside monitoring through drones and CCTV.
The report said initiatives such as the Green Pakistan Programme, the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami, the Gilgit-Baltistan Forest Act 2019, and the establishment of a special forest protection force were introduced to curb illegal logging and increase forest cover. But 35 per cent of posts in the forest force remain vacant, and staff shortages persist.
It added that courts show leniency in proceedings and police exhibit inadequate cooperation against culprits. The absence of clear demarcation of forest land has led to increasing allotments for residential and commercial projects, while mining and tourism are also putting additional pressure on forests.
As part of community participation, initiatives such as the Trophy Hunting Programme, the Non-Timber Forest Products Policy, forest nurseries, and free distribution of saplings have been launched. Plans are also under consideration to compensate local communities through carbon finance and ecosystem services, it said.
The report warned that if the current trend of deforestation is not controlled, it will pose severe threats not only to Gilgit-Baltistan but to the ecological balance of the entire country, leading to faster glacier melt, worsening water shortages, and an increased risk of natural disasters.
It further revealed that 59 forest department employees have been dismissed for their involvement in illegal logging. Timber was even recovered from a vehicle belonging to a serving G-B minister.
“When we caught people cutting trees, they asked the minister to intercede,” the report said. “But the minister told them he himself was facing a case and was part of the problem, so how could he recommend leniency?”
Committee proceedings and criticism
Committee member Shaista Jadoon alleged that officials posted at all Hazara Division check-posts take bribes and allow timber smuggling. She questioned how the KP forest department would reform its staff and what kind of trees were being planted during afforestation drives.
KP’s secretary forest said reforms for check-posts were being introduced and sought eight months to implement changes. He admitted thousands of check-posts were currently vacant due to human resource shortages.
At one point, committee member Shaista Rahmani remarked: “Everyone saw trees being washed away in the floods. How can we trust your Ten Billion Tree Tsunami?”
MNA Munaza Hassan said KP MNAs were barred by their party from attending the committee meeting. “The figures presented in the committee are shocking. Monsoon has caused destruction in the country,” she said, questioning how the government planned to curb the timber mafia and prepare for next year’s monsoon, forecast to be 22 per cent heavier than this year’s.