Gilgit - Baltistan
PM inaugurates two new national parks, covering 5% of Gilgit-Baltistan’s total land
GILGIT: (APP) PM briefed on two newly developed high-altitude National Parks in Gilgit-Baltistan, ‘Himalaya National Park’ and ‘Nanga Parbat National Park’ under the Prime Minister’s Protected Areas Initiative.
During his brief visit to Gilgit, mainly to attend the oath taking ceremony of GB cabinet, Secretary Forest and Wildlife Shahid Zaman briefed the prime minister on these recently established national parks in Gilgit Baltistan.
The newly notified ‘Himalaya National Park’ & ‘Nanga Parbat National Park’, span a huge area of 3600 sq. km which totals 5% of Gilgit-Baltistan’s land area, and comprise unique ecological areas with very rich high-altitude biodiversity as well as precious flora and fauna which include snow leopards, Himalayan brown bear, Ladakh Urial, Ibex, Markhors & Blue Sheep.
Secretary Forest said that the Nanga Parbat National Park covered an area of 1196 sq km while Himalaya National Parks stretched over 1989 sq km. The total area for hunting in the said two national parks is 474 sq km, he added.
Forest Department would be bifurcated into two separate departments including Gilgit Baltistan Forest Department and Gilgit Baltistan Protected Areas and Wildlife Service Department. Moreover, 537 job positions would be approved for Wildlife Department and another 297 for the Forest Department.
Four platoons of the Frontier Constabulary would be deployed for three years to ensure protection of forests and wildlife.
