PESHAWAR, Nov 10: The Sarhad Awami Forestry Ittehad (SAFI) and forest owners, in a joint meeting, criticized the forestry reforms, stating that the Asian Development Bank and the forest department have been acting against the interests of the country and its people.

According to a press release issued here on Saturday, the meeting was held at Bahrain, Swat, on Wednesday and was attended by members of the SAFI and people from various forest areas.

Through a unanimously adopted resolution, the meeting demanded formation of an independent and autonomous forestry commission, which should inquire into the so-called forestry sector reforms and utilization of massive funds.

They also demanded repealing of the present Forestry Act and drafting of a new law in consultation with the forest owners and other stake holders. They asked the donors to hold talks with the elected government over extension of the forestry sector project.

The speakers said that the donors including the ADB wanted to enhance the debt burden on the country and for that purpose it was funding projects which had no utility.

They said that the officials of the forest department and the ADB were hand in gloves in usurping the rights of the forest owners and other stake holders.

They said that the owners had inherited the forests from their ancestors and were not gifted by the government, therefore they had complete rights over the areas.

The participants said that the so-called forestry reforms were an exercise in futility and were only aimed at improving the fortune of the officials of the forest department.

They regretted that in the meeting of the ADB over the extension of the said reforms four days back, the members of the forestry round table from Malakand were not invited, which clearly spoke of the designs of the forest department.

Apart from the office bearers of the SAFI, the meeting was attended by Haji Nowsher, Malik Mohammed Deedar and Malik Khursheed.