Daily Balochistan Times

Rawalpindi: The residents of Murree have called on the Punjab Government to take action to protect the region's forests, which have been devastated by wildfires and the timber mafia.

According to the locals, fires are one of the major contributors to the loss of forest cover in the region. With the onset of both summer and winter seasons, vast areas of coniferous forests in Murree and its neighboring areas, including Galyat, are engulfed by fires, which are mostly deliberately set by the timber mafia to cover up illegal logging operations. Resultantly thousands of valuable trees, including deodar and pine, and rare wildlife species have vanished over the years.

Zahoor Abbasi, a resident of Phagwari, told reporter that the protection of Murree's forests had been a top priority for past rulers. During the British era, strict measures were taken to prevent deforestation and protect the region's natural beauty and wildlife.

Former president Ayub Khan, he said, in 1964-65 also took significant steps to preserve the forests of Murree and Galyat. His initiatives included providing free kerosene stoves to the locals to reduce the need for firewood and prevent the cutting of trees. The Soil Conservation Department was established, and numerous horticultural nurseries were set up in each union council of the region for afforestation. Additionally, thousands of fruit trees, such as apples, apricots, and plums, were distributed to encourage the locals to engage in horticulture, further reducing pressure on the forests.

Abbasi, however, regretted that despite efforts from former leaders, the protection of Murree's forests had been undermined in recent years. In 2006, General Pervez Musharraf's government launched a gasification project to provide the locals with an alternative energy source, aiming to prevent deforestation. Unfortunately, the project only benefited a small portion of the urban population in Murree, while the rest of the community still relied on the firewood, often sourced from the forests.

Sajid Mahmood, a local leader, noted that the high prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) further forced residents to cut down trees for fuel.

Zafar Javed, a resident of Goi Sehhar Bagla, blamed the timber mafia and some locals for starting fires to cover up illegal logging or to create fresh grazing areas for their animals. He alleged that the Forest Department staff either remained often absent from duty or were complicit in illegal logging activities.

Professor Ashfaq Kaleem urged the government to take steps for protecting the natural beauty of Murree, which was rapidly declining. He suggested several measures to address the issue, including educating local communities about fire prevention, involving them in monitoring systems, and initiating reforestation projects to restore the lost forest cover. He also called for stronger laws against illegal logging and their strict enforcement.

He proposed that the Forest Department staff should be equipped with advanced tools and techniques for fire management, with round-the-clock surveillance, especially during the summer months when fire incidents were common. Furthermore, he suggested that the government must explore the use of pine leaves as an alternative energy source to reduce reliance on firewood.