PESHAWAR: A ceremony at the Pakistan Forest Institute (PFI) in Peshawar on Tuesday marked World Wildlife Day.

Participants highlighted that the protection of forests and wildlife in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was crucial for social and economic development as well as for creating employment opportunities. They emphasised the need to introduce new policies and raise public awareness in this regard.

The seminar was organised by PFI Peshawar in collaboration with the NTFP Directorate and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The theme of the seminar was Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihood.

The director general PFI Peshawar, Manzoor Ahmad, was the chief guest at the event. Among other distinguished participants were Director Forest Education Atif Majeed, Director Directorate KP Forest Rashid Hussain, WWF Coordinator Amjad Rehman and Senior Conservation Officer WWF Emil Khan along with experts and students. The speakers delivered presentations relevant to the seminars theme.

The participants stressed the importance of preventing biodiversity loss, particularly through the conservation of forests and wildlife.

They called for strict implementation of existing wildlife protection laws, noting that wildlife conservation plays a vital role in maintaining ecosystems, improving human welfare and generating employment opportunities.

In his address, DG Manzoor Ahmad stated that such programmes help bring forward valuable suggestions and expert opinions from relevant sectors.

He added that through research, training and the protection of natural resources, a safe and sustainable Pakistan can be ensured for future generations.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2026