“No illegal deforestation taking place in Chitral”

Gul Hammad Farooqi

CHITRAL: Members of Joint Forest Management Committee (FJMC) and Muslim and Kalash timber-royalty holders condemned in a joint press conference “a move by some so-called leaders who want to deteriorate the peaceful situation in Chitral”, as they said.

They condemned former MNA Abdul Akbar Chitral and others who had accused in a press conference earlier demanding a ban on “illegal cutting of forest”.

Leaders of the joint committee said that residents of Rumbor are legal royalty holders of forest because it has been decided in their favor by Supreme Court of Pakistan against Ayun people.  “There is no illegal cutting of forest”, they said, while clarifying that trees fallen due to various natural processes are chopped and auctioned by the people, who retain 60%  of the royalty, in line with the law.They blamed that some elements were trying to snatch legal rights of the royalty-holders by making false accusations.

Addressing a press conference Abdul Majid Qureshi, Qazi Saeed, Haji Shifa, Haji Inzar Gul, Sher Muhammad and others said that our country facing acute threat of terrorism and situation on borders are is not feasible but despite that these people want to create unnecessary tension in the area and want to give free hands to terrorists across the border. They said that some leaders want to declare a pretty matter as a big issue of the region which is harmful for its peaceful environment. They urged the district administration to control these people from their ill aim and to not allow them to deprive legal royalty holders from their rights. They also demanded from the authorities for taking legal action against leaders belonging to other areas who alleged in a press conference and lodged FIR against them  like people of Ayun. They declare that if these people have some doubts they should to approach the court or to discuss it in table talks.  A large number of people of forest areas attended the press conference.