Pakistan was once blessed with abundant forests that helped regulate the climate and protect the environment. Today, however, rampant deforestation has become an alarming reality. Forest land is increasingly occupied with the alleged connivance of influential groups, while officers who resist often face intimidation.
In Sindh’s Kachho region, tree-cutting has intensified dramatically with the use of modern machinery, allowing hundreds of trees to be felled in a single day. Despite protests by environmental groups and occasional action by the authorities, illegal logging continues in Dadu, Jamshoro, and even protected areas of Kirthar National Park.
Although some justify clearing trees for cultivation, large trees can often be preserved without affecting farming. Weak enforcement and vested interests continue to fuel environmental destruction.
Our Green Kachho Alliance has pledged to plant 100,000 trees this season, but reforestation alone is not enough. The government, Forest Department, law enforcement agencies, political leaders, and civil society must work together to stop illegal logging and protect Pakistan’s forests before irreversible damage is done.
GULSHER PANHWER,
Johi.
