In Pakistan most of the people are un-aware of the fact that forests and wildlife biodiversity is the most valuable fortune of a country, which is because of un-awareness. People are destroying nature, just for their pleasure and economic development. As deforestation is the major issue, this Deforestation is not only affecting the natural habitat, it is also leading to other problems like natural disasters and air pollution. And it is leading to the extinction of animals. Deforestation is due to population increase and also, to use land for agricultural purposes and cattle grazing. In agricultural practices, misuse of pesticides is spreading diseases in insects, birds and aquatic life. Due to deforestation, animals, in search of food, heads toward villages or populated areas and got hunted or killed by people. Same way mangroves forests are threatened by land grabbers and government projects.

There are several NGOs affiliated with Wildlife departments of different provinces and WWF Pakistan is working hard to protect wildlife of the country. Government has also implemented National environmental policy in 2005 to overcome these problems. However still due to un-awareness and illiteracy among people, problem still persists.

Description:

Pakistan has only less than 5% of area which is covered by forest. And this is decreasing at a constant rate.

Increased rate of deforestation in Pakistan is directly affecting the wildlife of the country because it is destroying their natural habitat; deforestation is estimated 1% annually. If deforestation is continued for another 15 years these natural resources will be totally consumed.[1]

More than half of the remaining mangrove forests, more than two-thirds of rive rain forests and more than nine -tenths of remaining coniferous forests occupy less than 50% of the area that they originally occupied.[2]

Deforestation is directly linked with population increase, and in order to accommodate expanding urban area trees are being cut down for use in building materials, furniture and paper products.[3]

Other than that hunting has taken deep roots in Pakistan. People are hunting animals for their pleasure which is leading to their extinction. This is happening due to weak legal structure of the country. People are also hunting animals for their skin; various reptiles like snake, lizards and crocodiles are being hunted for their skin.[4]

This interference in natural order is affecting the natural cycle of biodiversity. For example increased number of animals like wild boars and jackals is directly related to the elimination of their predators, which are wild cats. And due to reduced number of snakes population of rats is increasing. This leads to post-harvest losses of grains. In nature every living thing has a very complex network of relationship, this is known as symbiosis, for example. When plants need specific nutrient, they release chemicals from their root, which attract certain microbes which produces that specific nutrient. But human interventions like using pesticides disturb this process by killing all kind of microbial organism in soil. But due to increase in population needs of modern technologies in agriculture become essential. So the use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides and insecticides are spreading diseases in aquatic life, insects and birds.[5] There is International code of conduct for use of pesticides but due to lack of awareness in farmers, problem still persist.[6] Pesticide use in Pakistan has increased 7 fold in quantity between 1981 and 1992 pesticides use increased 1,169% in 20 years.[7]

Same way these environmental problems are also affecting mangrove forests. A mangrove forest plays the most fundamental role in the breeding of fishes and other aquatic animals. Discharge of sewage and industrial chemicals in water bodies and marine water is destroying mangrove forest and aquatic life in the coastal areas.

According to Dr Tahir Qureshi of the World Conservation Union (IUCN)

“The community people and their animals are not threats to mangroves. Marine pollution and unplanned urbanization are real threats to these plants, which may create uncertainty for the residents.”[8]

Since in Karachi city mangrove's forest are the most valuable assets, responsible for the economic growth and environmental improvement, however people are un-aware of this fact, and large area of mangrove landscape is being cut down, so the need of environmental awareness institutes becomes the most essential requirement for the city.