UNESCO to support Pakistan for getting approval of the Karakoram Pamir Biosphere Reserve
Friday, November 29, 2013 – Islamabad—Qunli HAN ,Director Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences , Man and Biosphere Programme(MAB) of UNESCO called on Science &Technology Minister Mr. Zahid Hamid here in Islamabad and discussed the UN global development network’s programmers in Pakistan, especially the ongoing Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme led by Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) through Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF).
Mr. Kamran ali Qureshi ,Secretary Ministry for Science and Technology, Dr.K.k Nagata,Director UNESCO Islamabad, Dr, Khalil Ahmad ,Chairman Pakistan science foundation were also present in the meeting.
They discussed the UN global development network’s programmers in Pakistan, especially the ongoing Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme led by Ministry of Science and Technology(MoST) through Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF).
Pakistan has only two Biosphere Reserves 1) The Lal Sohanra National Park located in Cholistan Desert which was approved by UNESCO in 1977 and 2) the Juniper forest of Ziarat, believed to be the second largest juniper Forest of its kind in the world, which was approved in May, 2013.
The Minister appraised the delegation that Pakistan had prepared requisite documents, including a Management Plan, for approval of the Karakoram Pamir Biosphere Reserve in Gilgit Baltistan which would be the third Biosphere Reserve in Pakistan.and working for the Khirthar in Sindh province which would be the fourth Biosphere Reserves in the country.
The UNESCO delegation assured their support for getting the approval of the Karakoram Pamir Biosphere Reserve in Gilgit Baltistan which would be signed during the scheduled visit of the Director General of UNESCO to Pakistan in June 2014.
Source: Pakistan Observer
