ISLAMABAD: A Senate subcommittee on Monday ordered forest authorities to withhold timber transit licences till the completion of physical verification, as it met at the Parliament House to review enforcement and management of forests in Gilgit-Baltistan.

The meeting of the Senate Sub-Committee on Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and States Frontier Regions, chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, was briefed by the secretary of the Kashmir affairs ministry and the chief conservator of forests regarding the Diamer forest working plan for 2021-2050.

The panel directed the forest department to ensure complete transparency in the working plan. It said the timber licences would remain suspended until physical checks of lessees were finalised, logging targets were verified, and proper oversight was in place to ensure sustainable management and restore public confidence in forest governance.

Officials said forests in Gilgit-Baltistan were privately owned, but local communities had pushed for scientific management of these woods. The plan covers 122,863 acres across six forest ranges divided into 343 compartments. Multidisciplinary validation teams using GIS mapping and GPS tracking have evaluated compartments to remove bias.

Harvesting under the plan is restricted to dead, dying, diseased, mature and over-mature trees. Of 125 compartments, 72 were recommended for operations while 53 were found unsuitable. Felling orders have so far been issued for six compartments.

The committee members expressed concern over policy inconsistencies during the past 26 years, saying the approach prioritised revenue over conservation since the 1990s. This eroded trust and enabled illegal cutting, they said, while calling for robust verification and strict transport monitoring to stop illegal timber movement.

The sub-committee asked the forest department to immediately provide complete details and service records of all 1,200 employees, along with specific performance data. The panel convener said all relevant structural documents and files dating back to 2003 must be submitted to the committee for scrutiny.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2026