RAHIM YAR KHAN: The Pakistan Army and the Houbara Foundation International Pakistan jointly broadcast seeds of desert plants over the Cholistan desert on Wednesday morning for the 27th consecutive year, aiming to improve vegetation and animal and bird populations.

Wildlife habitats are being degraded the world over because of wood-cutting by local communities and over-grazing by their livestock.

Consequently, wild animals and birds are unable to find their favourite foods in sufficient quantities, resulting in a rapid decline in their numbers and ecological imbalance.

According to a press release, in 1998, Houbara Foundation, in collaboration with the Pakistan Army, undertook to reinforce the diminishing vegetation through aerial broadcast of seeds of desert plants in the Cholistan desert, which is the prime wintering habitat of Houbara bustard and other bird species.

This year, 200kgof seeds from local plants and grasses were broadcast, bringing the total seeds broadcast over the last 27 years to over 3,327kg, it says. The press releasestates that regular monitoring of the habitat has yielded encouraging results, with higher germination yields expected.

It says that the restoration of complete habitats is a long and laborious task. But, with the dedicated support of the Pakistan Army, Houbara Foundation aims to continue to work on this project to restore the ecological balance by reinforcing the desert vegetation and building up populations of the wildlife species found in the Cholistan desert.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2025