National News

GILGIT, (MILLAT ONLINE):The provincial government of Gilgit Baltistan has launched a grand
operation against illegal forest cutting in the Chakkarkot area of the district.
Official sources of GB said owing to change in climate after relentless cutting of
forests, all the provinces had been directed to strictly thwart the practice of
illegal cutting of forest trees.
The sources said the Chief Secretary GB had taken stern notice of the matter after
pictures of illegally cut trees from the forests of Chakkarkot, Jaglot were
posted on social media and sought approval from Chief Minster GB, Hafiz Hafizur
Rehman for initiating a grand operation against the practice.
Soon after receiving approval, contingents of police, Rangers and GB Scouts cordoned off
the forests of Chakkarkot, Jaglot and sealed all the exit points. The sources
said that the seized wood be shifted to the forests of Jaglot for an open
auction.
During the operation, so far eight involved persons were taken into custody whereas
some of their accomplices managed to flee.
It said the CS, Kazim Niaz was himself monitoring the operation and
receiving updates of the operation from the law enforcers.
During the initial phase of the operation, illegal wood loaded on vehicles would be
seized while in the next phase the wood, hidden in dried up nullahs and forest
edges will be recovered and shifted to Jaglot for auction.
The forces were also deployed at all the entry points of forests of Jaglot to thwart
the entry of wood stealers.
The sources said the provincial government could earn hundreds of millions of rupees through
auctioning the wood, illegally cut from the forests of Shopahot, Chakkarkot and
Jaglot.