PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has directed the secretary of forests to determine the boundaries of forest areas in Galiyat and Dongagali within three months and hold a formal meeting with the Survey of Pakistan to facilitate the demarcation process.
The two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Faheem Wali was hearing the case.During the proceedings, Secretary Forests Junaid Khan, Director General Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) Muhammad Fawad, Conservator Hayat Ali and the petitioner’s counsel Babar Khan Yousafzai appeared before the court.
At the outset of the hearing, Babar Yousafzai read out the previous court order. The bench then called Secretary Forests Junaid Khan to the rostrum and inquired about the progress made in compliance with the court’s directives.
The secretary informed the court that encroachments had been removed from forest lands. He said difficulties were being faced at two locations because related cases were pending in courts.
Apart from those areas, all forest land that had been encroached upon had been retrieved. He stated that one of the major issues in Galiyat was the inconsistency in land records.According to some records, certain land belonged to the forest department, while other records reflected private ownership. He said the revenue record played a key role in the issue.
Justice Syed Arshad Ali observed that a great responsibility rested upon the secretary to examine the alterations made in official records and to formally take up the matter with the Revenue Department.
The court stated that it only wanted the forest area identified in the Survey of Pakistan reports of 2015 and 2016 to be demarcated, restored to its original status and all encroachers proceeded against accordingly.
The secretary informed the court that the department was working jointly with the GDA on the matter. He said demarcation had already been carried out and three surveys had identified various locations as part of the forest area. The department, he said, was working on the basis of those surveys and would fully comply with the court’s orders.
Justice Arshad Ali remarked that if the present situation of the Nathiagali forests continued, the area could eventually transform from a pleasant hill station into a warmer region.He stressed that the forests had to be preserved for future generations and that government officials could play a significant role in this regard. He noted that while the court could issue orders, it was ultimately the administration that had to implement them.
Junaid Khan assured the court that the department had always respected and complied with judicial orders and would continue to do so. He said the department would not allow future generations to be deprived of the region’s natural resources and that action was being taken against all encroachers. However, in some places, the department was unable to proceed due to ongoing litigation.
The court asked whether Galiyat’s development could truly be measured by the construction of more hotels. Justice Arshad Ali remarked that commercial development should only be allowed to the extent that adequate facilities could be provided, pointing out that the area was already experiencing severe traffic congestion.
In response, GDA DG said that the authority was paying attention to the issue and that he was personally monitoring the situation. He said the GDA’s objective was to preserve and protect Galiyat and that no commercial construction was being permitted on GDA-owned land.
