ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday directed provinces to protect cities and the national park areas through comprehensive master plans and effective town planning.

“I request all provincial governments to make serious efforts to preserve national parks to protect diversity of ecological climatic zones,” he said while launching the “Protected Areas Initiative” under which 15 national parks in the country will be fully protected.

The prime minister also urged the provincial governments to prepare master plans for all major and small cities so that proper town planning could be carried out to provide basic civic amenities to the people like clean drinking water, proper sewer and drainage system, waste disposal and cleanliness.

“Our country has a diversity of natural beauty and climatic ecology but unfortunately none of the previous governments had made it a priority to protect the national parks.”

He said even major cities were “destroying” due to lack of planning and haphazard construction. “I ask all provinces please protect our cities,” he added.

He said with growing severe challenges of climate change due to glacier melting, the protection of the natural and ecological environment was the need of the hour.

Protected Areas Initiative launched to protect 15 national parks across the country

“If we do not protect our national parks, our coming generations will not see what I have seen in my childhood,” he said, adding protection of green areas along with promotion of eco-tourism was vital for the country’s development.

The launching ceremony was informed that 15 national parks covering 7,300sq km had been made fully functional for the first time with proper ecological management and governance.

Of these, nine are new and recently declared national parks while the six others already had the status of ‘paper parks’ with mere notifications.

The prime minister said Pakistan was blessed with 12 diverse ecological zones, making it a rich destination for eco-tourism.

“However, the country requires a further improvement in learning about administration and preservation of national parks,” he added.

In order to protect green areas and national parks, the prime minister directed Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mehmood Khan not to open tourist areas for public unless putting in place bye-laws regarding protection and preservation of the natural environment.

He pointed out that Galiyat and Murree were facing problems due to lack of civic planning and policy on eco-tourism.

The prime minister said cities were facing water shortage and waste disposal issues due to absence or outdated master plans.

“The government would consider making town planning a part of its green initiative,” he added.

Mr Khan mentioned that biodiversity of Margalla Hills was splendid with its unique flora and fauna, saying turning it into a national park would help its preservation.

He stressed involvement of the local community in preservation of the natural environment and rare species, including snow leopard and Marco polo sheep.

He said awareness among the people of Chitral helped in preservation of ibex by allowing limited trophy hunting.

“Now the hunters pay for hunting ibex and this money is spent on local community,” he added.

Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar, Chief Minister KP Mahmood Khan, Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan, the chief secretary Sindh and senior officials from Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan joined the event via a video link.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2020