Special Tag: Gilgit-Baltistan Pakistan: Oppn leader protests creation of national parks in Gilgit-Baltistan
Islamabad: Opposition Leader in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly Amjad Hussain Advocate has expressed reservations over the government's plan to create two national parks in the region, media reports said.
The opposition leader expressed concern as the government is not protecting the rights of local people over their natural resources.
He promised to raise the issue during the upcoming assembly session.
Talking to media persons here, Hussain was quoted as saying by Dawn News the recent decision to establish the Himalaya National Park covering 1,989 square kilometres area in Diamer, and Nanga Parbat National Park covering 1,196 square kilometres area in Astore and Diamer without devising a mechanism to protect local people’s rights and without taking GB representatives into confidence would be strongly resisted.
The opposition leader told the newspaper in GB people depended on their lands to earn a living by cultivation and rearing livestock.
“Under the decision, residents of the national parks can neither utilise herbal products nor cut firewood,” he told Dawn News.
“We fear haphazard constructions in the name of tourism promotion through outside investors in the national park areas,” the opposition leader pointed out.
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