MUZAFFARABAD, July 28: The burgeoning population was threatening the Azad Jammu and Kashmir environment, a government official said at a workshop here on Wednesday.

Speaking at a media workshop on Environmental Journalism under the aegis of the Worldwide Fund for Nature Pakistan (WWF- P), AJK Environment Protection Agency Director Dr Syed Asif Hussain said the high population density, with 246 persons living per square kilometre, coupled with the high growth rate of 2.4 per cent per annum were threatening the environmental conditions in AJK.

Lack of environmental awareness among the people was a big problem in itself which ought to be removed, he said, adding that mobilization of stake holders also was necessary.

AJK was the most important area of Pakistan with regard to environment, but ironically it was not getting any share from the federal environment ministry's allocation. The degradation of the environment in AJK was bound to have an adverse effect in the downstream areas, he warned.

He recalled that the Environment Protection Act was passed in Azad Kashmir in October 2000 and under this act an Environment Projection Council headed by the AJK prime minister and Environment Projection Agency headed by a director were established.