ISLAMABAD: A Senate sub-committee has mandated increased transparency and accountability in the management of private forests in Gilgit-Baltistan, demanding comprehensive records of employees and detailed timber data. The directive was issued during a meeting held at the Parliament House, focusing on the evaluation of the enforcement and transparency of the forest conservation working plan for the region.

According to Senate of Pakistan, the meeting was chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman and attended by Senators Nasir Mehmood and Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto. The Secretary of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and the Chief Conservator of Forests presented a briefing on the 30-Year Forest Working Plan, which spans from 2021 to 2050. This plan, initiated by local community advocacy, regulates forest management across 122,863 acres divided into 343 compartments. The strategy permits harvesting only of dead, dying, diseased, mature, and over-mature trees, utilizing GIS mapping and GPS tracking for unbiased assessment. Of the 125 compartments reviewed, 72 were approved for operations, while 53 were deemed unsuitable. Felling orders have been issued for six compartments, with 380,481 cubic feet slated for initial extraction.

Committee members raised concerns about policy inconsistencies and the focus on revenue over conservation since the 1990s, which has eroded local trust and facilitated illegal logging. In response, the sub-committee mandated the Forest Department to provide detailed records of its 1,200 employees, including performance data, and to share all structural documents and files since 2003. Additionally, the issuance of transit licenses for timber will be suspended until thorough checks on lessees and logging targets are completed, ensuring robust oversight and protection of the environment.