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A massive timber scam worth PKR 1.7 billion in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has been uncovered by relevant authorities, seizing approximately 2.3 million cubic feet of illegally cut wood, Geo News reported, citing a report by The News.
According to Geo News, citing a report released on Monday, investigations have implicated 140 officers and officials, who have received show-cause notices and are facing charge sheets. The provincial government has also forwarded some cases to Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Anti-Corruption Department for further action. The Forestry Planning and Monitoring Circle (FP&MC) in Peshawar reported that the seized timber was recovered mainly from Allai tehsil in Battagram and other areas in the region. The total volume of illegal timber may increase as monitoring of three more locations is still ongoing, Geo News reported. The investigation was conducted under the directives of the provincial cabinet, reviewing woodlots, approved working plans, FDF schemes, and the 2003 policy on dry standing and windfallen trees, as well as the illicit timber cutting policy. Out of 370 cases examined, 168 (45.4 per cent) were found to be compliant, 91 (24.6 per cent) had minor issues, and 111 (30 per cent) showed major violations, Geo News reported. In volume terms, 4.39 million cubic feet of timber were cleared, 1.545 million cubic feet were approved after rectification of minor faults, while 2.361 million cubic feet were seized due to serious breaches. The highest irregularities were observed in woodlots, with 64 out of 178 cases showing major violations, as reported by Geo News. Among working plans, 25 out of 79 cases had serious irregularities. In the category of dry, standing, and windfallen trees, 22 out of 76 cases involved major breaches. As per Geo News, FDF schemes had no major discrepancies in 36 cases, and only one minor violation was found under the illicit cut timber policy. The report highlighted that the seized timber cases involved officials neglecting marking standards, not adhering to approved working plans, or enabling illegal logging. The Forest Department has initiated disciplinary proceedings under the Efficiency and Discipline Rules 2011, with charge sheets being prepared against 140 officers and officials, alongside legal actions. According to Geo News, citing sources, monitoring of timber marking and harvesting had been halted for three years for unclear reasons. However, in 2024, the current KP government ordered the resumption of monitoring and required detailed reports from officials, which eventually uncovered the large-scale scam. Government officials claim that this crackdown will help reduce timber mafia activities and improve transparency in forest operations. (ANI)
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