MINGORA: Civil society activists on Tuesday complained about illegal cutting of trees in the forests of Bahrain and demanded of the government to take stern action against the timber mafia active in the area.

They said they had noticed illegal logging of precious trees in forests between Kul Banr and Gul Shah areas.

“I was with my friends trekking from Bahrain to Gul Shah when we noticed illegal cutting of trees. When the people saw us they ran away and hid themselves somewhere in the forest,” Shahid Iqbal, a civil society activist, said.

He said that cutting down of trees was going on at several places in the forest. “At some places I saw trees freshly cut down while in other areas planks were found,” he said.

People in Kalam also complained of illegal cutting of trees in Kalam forest and said timber mafia was busy in cutting the precious cedar trees without hindrance.

“I was shocked to see fallen cedar trees in the main Kalam forest near Shahi Ground,” Irfanullah Umair, a local resident, said, adding mostly the illegal cutting of trees was carried during the nighttime.

The civil society members questioned the claims of PTI government of protecting the forests in the province.

“In media PTI chief and Prime Minister Imran Khan and other party leaders make tall claims of billion tree tsunami in the province but on ground frequent illegal cutting of trees continues in various forests of Swat,” Azharuddin, a teacher in the University of Swat, said, adding that he noticed illegal cutting of trees in Batol area of Utror valley.

When contacted, Kalam district forest officer Arsalan Tariq said that he had sent forest guards to the area and would take strict action against those who were found involved in the illegal practice.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2018