Title Pakistan Forest Digest Issue 01- A4 - Pakistan Research Group

SDPISustainable Development Policy InstituteShinkirai: Mohammad Iqbal should beappointed SDFODaily Shamal, Abbottabad, May 06, 2010Mansehra (Special Correspondent)senior forester Mohammad Iqbalshould immediately be appointedSDFO Shinkiari if the departmentwants to protect the Green Gold.This was said by members offorest protection committee in acrowded press conference underthe leadership of Nauroz Khan,Abdul Hameed Khan, Abdul LatifKhan. Water resources will alsoincrease if forests are protected.At the moment senior foresterMuhammad Iqbal is the onlyperson who can take theresponsibility of protecting theforests as he is the one whobrought profit of hundreds ofthousands of rupees from theforests during his appointment inSaran Valley.Nawazabad forest check post has become a gold minefor corrupt forest officialDaily Shamal, Abbottabad, May 07, 2010Dhadar (Special Correspondent)Nawazabad check post hasbecome a gold mine for forestofficials. The officials allowvehicles loaded with timber pass inthe darkness of night. Accordingto the details the forest check postat Nawazabad-Domail has becomea gold mine for the forest officials.They allow vehicles loaded withtimber pass during the night undertheir own protection. Communitycircles have urged the DFO tocheck the state of affairs so thatforests could be protected.Haripur Forest Department fails to protect Shisham treesPrecious trees have been left at the mercy of timber mafia;Silk route loses its beautyDaily Shamal, Abbottabad, May 11, 2010Lora Chowk (Our Correspondent)Forest Department has utterlyfailed to protect the shisham treesplanted along the Silk Route.These precious trees have been leftat the mercy of timber mafia.Forest department officials haveclosed their eyes. At the strike callgiven by Hazara ProvinceMovement hundreds of big treeswere cut down from Jhari Kas toKholian Bala but the forestdepartment failed to take actionagainst any of the violators.Officials of Haripur ForestDepartment have become a burdenon the national exchequer. DCOHaripur should take disciplinaryaction against the forest officialsso that the public discontent couldbe eased. The Silk Road has lostits beauty due to the negligence ofthe forest department officials.Cutting of trees along the roadsidehas caused severe pollution in thearea. However, for unknownreason, the forest department notonly did not plant trees along theroadside but also prepared nostrategy to protect the trees alreadyplanted. This gave the timbermafia an opportunity to cut treesfearlessly and make money. Evenat this moment precious wood islying at saw mills but the forestdepartment is keeping silent afterreceiving bribe. Timber mafia istaking full advantage of thesituation and is continuing its evilactivities.Galiat: Timber smuggling is taking place every dayDaily Shamal, Abbottabad, May 11, 2010Abbottabad(SpecialCorrespondent) Thousands ofcubic feet of timber is beingsmuggled out of Galiat area ofAbbottabad but the DFO and theforest officer are silent. ForestsPakistan Forest Digest Vol. 1, No. 1, April – June, 2010