Press Release International Forest Day

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PRESS COVERAGE REPORT

Riphah International University organizes Seminar to mark

International Forest Day

ل افرٹس ڈے ےک ومعق رپ رافہ ارٹنلنشین

شی

ن

ا رارٹن

منسیویوینریٹس ےک زری اامتہم

ےک اٹکؤ یک روک اھتم ےک ےئل وکحتم اور اقمیم آابدویں ںیم اعتون ڑباھان وہاگالگنجت

Covered in Newspapers:

1. The News (Opening & Closing)

2. National Herald Tribune

وتقوناےئ .3

اپاتسکنں اہج .4

ایند .5

ارپسکیسی .6

ااسس .7

اواصف .8

امس .9

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Text of the Press Release – English

Riphah marks the International Forest Day with the proposal of collaboration between

government and local communities to control deforestation

A seminar in context of UN International Day of Forests was organized by Riphah Institute of Public

Policy, Riphah International University and Policy Research Institute of Market Economy (PRIME) on

March 21, 2016 in Islamabad. The seminar discussed the various options available with the government

to conserve the national forests in collaboration with local communities. The audience appreciated

Riphah’s initiative to facilitate the government and academia to collaborate and find solutions for the

most concerning issue of ‘deforestation’ in country.

Mr. Ali Salman, Executive Director of PRIME, presented his research paper on “The Footprints of

Leviathan: Dwindling Forests of Pakistan”. He asserted that the government should collaborate with

local communities in developing the forests, instead of their nationalization. He proposed the solutions

in the form of ‘Joint Forest Management’ (JFM) and appropriate legislation to manage the forests as the

common property.

Dr. Masood Raja, Professor at University of Texas, responded to the various options discussed in the

forum. He emphasized is that privatization is not the solution for the current problems. He was of the

opinion that government can significantly make an impact because it doesn’t have a profit-motive in its

initiatives.

Mr. A.M. Kaimkhani, DIG Forests, Ministry of Climate Change mentioned that deforestation is mainly

caused by the four factors including increased adoption of technology, forest fire, trading timber and

infrastructure development. However, he asserted that after UN Climate Change Conference 2015, the

Prime Minister Nawaz Shareef has issued several directives to ensure that the government is keenly

working to curtail the impact of climate change and deforestation. He further apprised the audience

with the fact that though environment is a provincial subject, the central government is actively working

in coordination and monitoring of the provinces.

The ceremony was concluded with the remarks of Dr. Rashid Aftab, Director Riphah Institute of Public

Policy, that that a technical session will be held at Ministry of Climate Change to discuss the draft forest

policy and propose intervention in consultation with Riphah - Prime.

Press Release International Forest Day

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