Raza Naqvi
Attock
Adviser to Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam has said the forest area near Fatehjang in Attock would be developed as a protected national park. Talking to newsmen in Attock ,he said that located in Kala Chitta Mountain range, the forest area known as Kheri Murat forest area sprawls over an area of 8740 acres.
He added that after establishment of national park, it would provide excellent recreational activities to enjoy hiking and interaction with nature through ecotourism while providing employment to locals. Mr Amin added that after establishment of park is this forest area, any sort of hunting, shooting and poaching of wild species of this park will be declared illegal and considered as a punishable act with heavy penalties.
This will be enforced within three miles radius of its boundaries. While talking about the protected national park which will be established in Punjab in district Attock at Kheri Murat tehsil Fatehjang over an area of 8740 acres and its boundaries on North will touch nine villages, on South its boundaries will touch 8 villages, on East its boundaries will be touching Kheri Murat village and Rawalpindi and on the West it will touch hills close to village Gali Jageer.
He disclosed that a new department with the title of National parks service for Pakistan will be established and all these six National parks will act as launching pad for this service which will employ youth in nature protection. Mr Aslam added that these parks would be established under “Green Stimulus Program” launched by the government for protected area initiative across Pakistan aimed at nature conservation and the provision of green jobs. He said that these parks will be established in Kheri Murat area of Attock, KP, Sind, Baluchistan, GB and Azad Kashmir.
