PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court has directed the provincial government to restore forest boundaries in Galiyat areas, including Dungagali, within three months. A bench comprising Justices Syed Arshad Ali and Faheem Wali mandated the forest secretary, Junaid Khan, to finalize this by September 16 and submit a report.
The court ordered Khan to convene a meeting with Survey of Pakistan officials to address discrepancies in forestland records. This directive followed a petition by the Galiyat Tahafuz Movement challenging notifications from the previous caretaker government that allowed controversial land use, including a high-rise development on disputed land known as Hilda Estate.
During a prior hearing on May 21, the court had cited non-compliance with earlier rulings on restoring Dunga Gali’s forest boundaries. Officials, including forest secretary Junaid Khan, GDA DG Mohammad Fawad, and others, attended the latest hearing. Justice Arshad Ali highlighted the environmental decline due to a surge in hotels, urging urgent action to protect the ecosystem for future generations.
Directs forest secy to hold meeting with Survey of Pakistan officials on the issue
The forest secretary reported that a 2015-16 survey identified 7,616 kanals of encroached land, with 1,017 kanals detected in a 2020-21 follow-up. Anti-encroachment efforts have recovered 7,440 kanals since then, leaving 184.8 kanals still encroached, primarily due to legal disputes. He noted that 159 kanals remain contested, with 45.45 kanals tied to litigation and 113.5 kanals reflecting conflicting revenue and forest records.
The secretary emphasized ongoing collaboration with the GDA, stating that three surveys have demarcated forest areas. However, he acknowledged challenges in aligning revenue records with forest land boundaries, which the court urged him to resolve with the revenue department.
Justice Arshad Ali stressed that while the court could issue orders, implementation depended on administrative action. The GDA DG clarified that no new No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) were issued for construction, and updated rules now restrict permits to non-forest land across seven phases. He assured the court that commercial development was not permitted on GDA-controlled land.
When asked about the timeframe for restoring boundaries, Khan stated the task required at least three months due to the complexity of surveys and land disputes.