GILGIT, Oct 25 The Forest Department has seized 157,000 cubic feet timber in Chakar Koat forest.

“A large number of trees were cut without permission from the Forest Department,” Secretary Forest Hafizur Rehman told Dawn. He said tractors of the department would transport the seized timber to Gilgit, the capital city of the region, for public auction.

It is learnt that a three-member committee would investigate felling of trees and look after the process of auction. Green organisations have appreciated the move of the department and demanded of the government to conduct an inquiry into destruction of forests in the region.

WEBSITE LAUNCHED The Education Department of Gilgit-Baltistan has launched its official website.“All statistics have been uploaded so that people could easily access to the required information,” Secretary Education Ejaz Asad Rassol said. The matters pertaining to nomination in professional colleges and recruitments would particularly be given on the website so that people could download them easily.