ANP slams illegal cutting of trees

CHITRAL, Aug 21: The district president ANP Chitral, Syed Muzafar Ali Shah Jan, has expressed anguish over the illegal cutting of deodar trees in the Arandu forest by the timber mafia in connivance with the forest department. Addressing a press conference here, he alleged that 60,000 cubic feet timber has been obtained from the cutting of trees in the forest out of which 28 thousand cubic feet had been transported to Drosh for onward shipping to the down country. He said that despite his frantic calls to the government and his offer to indicate the illegal timber in compartment No. 32 of Arandu, no action was taken by the government which showed the tacit approval of the government to it. Mr. Jan said that the timber mafia is busy in maligning him for raising his voice against the massacre of forest trees which is destruction of the local environment and the recent flash floods are outcomes of the deforestation. He said that he will continue to raise his voice against the cutting of trees in the forests and no force can deter him from it.–Zahiruddin  ]]>