The Punjab government has introduced legislation that could significantly weaken long-standing protections for forests, raising concerns that large swathes of protected land may soon be opened up for construction, mining and other development projects.
The proposed law, titled The Forest (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was tabled in the provincial assembly and seeks to amend the Forest Act of 1927, a nearly century-old law governing the protection and use of forest land.
If passed, the bill would grant the provincial government sweeping powers to strip any reserved or protected forest of its legal status for projects deemed to be of “national importance”. The provision would apply not only to projects undertaken by the Punjab government, but also to those carried out by the federal government or by institutions, agencies and authorities owned or controlled by either.
Under existing law, the construction of concrete buildings or permanent structures in reserved or protected forests is largely prohibited, with limited exceptions such as roads, rights of way and forest parks.
Even where de-reservation is permitted, current legislation imposes strict safeguards.
These include approval from the Punjab cabinet, a written justification demonstrating that no alternative land is available for a project of national strategic importance, the allocation of substitute land equal to or larger than the affected forest area, and guaranteed funding for its immediate afforestation and long-term maintenance.
But the proposed amendments would remove or override many of these safeguards, significantly expanding the government’s discretion to de-notify forest land while reducing checks on how protected areas are converted for other uses.
In its statement of objects and reasons, the Punjab government argues that the province’s mining sector has faced growing operational difficulties due to overlapping legal provisions and the enforcement of existing forest laws. It says these constraints have slowed mineral extraction and hindered the growth of mineral-based industries.
Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, had a forest cover of just 3.18% in 2020, according to WWF-Pakistan. The Punjab Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries Department has similarly estimated forest cover at around 3.2%, excluding private farmland and forests.
Asfar Zia, director general of forests in Punjab, told The News that the bill was tabled by the province’s mines and minerals department.
“This amendment to the Forest Act was neither initiated nor tabled by the forest department,” he said. “It was moved by the mines and minerals department, which is not legally entitled to introduce legislation concerning forests.” Zia added that his department is contesting the bill and has raised the issue with the Punjab government.
Punjab’s Information Minister Azma Bokhari did not respond to requests for comment. Tahir Zafar Abbas, the provincial secretary for forests, also did not respond.
Environmental groups, however, warn that easing forest protections at a time of worsening climate impacts could have lasting consequences.
In a statement issued on February 3, WWF-Pakistan expressed “serious concern” over the proposed bill, calling it a “dangerous precedent”.
“These proposed changes fundamentally weaken forest protection in Pakistan, with consequences that extend far beyond any single project or sector,” the organisation said, adding that the amendments conflict with Pakistan’s commitments under international climate adaptation and biodiversity agreements.
“Pakistan already has one of the lowest forest cover percentages in the region and one of the fastest rates of deforestation,” the statement warned, adding that any de-notification of forests would lead to fragmentation, degradation and the permanent loss of forest ecosystems.
