In late 19th century, British forces made their advance towards the Afghanistan bordering areas. These are now part of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP) areas called Pakhtoonkhwa. The Royal Army was facing serious resistance especially at the main road, known as Pak-Afghan Highway. The tribesmen used the forests over the Hills as cover in the Landi Kotal area. For several years the British forces remained ineffective striking the local, untrained force. In order to tackle the problem, the Government of British India decided to survey the area and adopt a method for the durable solution and future advancement towards the State of Afghanistan. The Government of India was told about the critical financial situation of the area and the poverty of tribesmen. Therefore it was decided to increase the price of wood, in the local market of Peshawar.
The price hike attracted local residents and soon the sale of valuable wood started. They used donkeys for carrying wood over almost 50 kilometres. The strategy worked very effectively as local residents had found a good source of income. Some of these wood-sellers had purchased land in the settled areas and the famous tribes of Afridi and Shinwari lived on that land for their third generation.
Cutting wood and bringing it to Peshawar for sale built momentum and soon the nearby mountains were cleaned from trees. Soon the effects of deforestation were witnessed Sabir Afridi, 65, a local elder from Landi Kotal does not remember any forests over the mountains of his native area, but quoting his tribal forefathers, he admits that there were trees over there.
Almost all the mountains in surrounding areas of Khyber Agency like Tirah Valley are, even today, covered with forests. Even smaller places like Zayaray have trees. It is only the mountains near the Pak-Afghan Highway that are stripped of foliage, which means that the story told by the tribesmen was true.
The question is why did the British Indian government avoid mentioning this matter in their Working Plans conducted on a regular basis in almost all the areas? This has a very simple answer that it was intentionally avoided.
According to Muhammad Ashraf, an officer of Forest Institute Peshawar, there is no doubt that all the mountains were naturally suitable for forestry. This confirms the opinion that the mountains of Landi Kotal area had forests.
Interestingly, almost all the research and history books, written at that time, are silent on this subject. We have proof of different kinds of plants and trees grown in the area but no finding about their destruction. (The Library of Forest Institute Peshawar University was searched thoroughly but found useless.)
It is unfortunate that the authorities of British Raj might have ignored this fact intentionally, as they had left behind a lot of research material and working plans of Forestry in almost all the areas they ruled in.
Even after more than 60 years of independence, the government of Pakistan has overlooked the area and has not made a plan for the growth of trees over that particular area. Most of the local tribesmen would like to see the revival of forestry over the mountains of Tehsil Landi Kotal along with the Pak-Afghan Highway, for which they have no resources. Rokhan Afridi, a young man, like other Tribesmen from the area, is enthusiastic regarding the restoration of forestation in his area.
A proper survey by the experts in the relevant field could identify the kind of plantation possible or easily grown in that area. This could result in one of the most beautiful places in the world, supported by a rich history alongside it.
