LETTER TO EDITOR

August 24^th, 2013

Forests in Pakistan

The forest area to land ration in Pakistan in 2010 was 2.19 percent as reported in World Bank report published in 2012, which is not only one of the lowest in the world, but unfortunately Pakistan has also the highest rate of deforestation in Asia. Just to draw the comparison, Russia has 46%, Brazil 56%, Indonesia 47%, Sweden 74%, Spain 56%, Japan 67%, Canada 31% and USA 30% area of their lands covered with forests. On the other hand Afghanistan 00.25%, Algeria 1.70%,Bahrain 0.67%, UAE3.5% and most Muslim countries have like Pakistan very little area under forests. Ideally it should be at least 33 percent or more. Importance of the forests for a country in improving its ecology as well as its economy cannot be overemphasized and Pakistan must pay immediate heed to this natural resource for which Pakistan is blessed by the nature with all kinds of land, terrains and soils to grow trees of all kinds and in abundance too. The govt. must plan planting of the trees on war footing basis and everyone in the nation must be made to plant a tree at least once every year, if not twice a year. Though some of the monsoon rains have gone bye yet there is time for few more rains and the tree plantation could be taken up on  institutionalized basis where all organs and organizations of the country – the armed forces, the civil armed forces, the para military forces – Rangers, Coast Guards, FCs etc., the police, the railways, the WAPDA, all schools, colleges, universities – public or private, all government departments – provincial and federal, the political parties with their workers, the civil societies, the NGOS, the masses in general and the most important of all the Forest Department itself must plant the trees religiously. Needless to say the planted trees must also be looked after and watered when required till they are strong enough to survive on their own.

Hope some of our visionary leaders and rulers are listening.

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd) 

Rawalpindi 
Pakistan

E.mail: [email protected]

480 × 238 – pakistantoday.com.pk

 

 

 

 

 

 

World Development Indicators

Graph, map and compare more than 1,000 time series indicators from the World Development Indicators and more than 5,000 indicators from other collections such as Gender Statistics, African Development Indicators or Education Statistics. DATABANK DOWNLOAD DATA

School enrollment, primary (% gross) 92% 2011   Pakistan South Asia Lower middle income SOURCE   CO2 emissions (metric tons per capita) 0.9 2009   Pakistan South Asia Lower middle income SOURCE Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty line (% of population) 22.3%2006 23.9%2005 34.5%2002 30.6%1999 SOURCE   Improved water source, rural (% of rural population with access) 89%2011 89%2010 88%2009 88%2008 87%2007 SOURCE Life expectancy at birth, total (years) 65 2011   Pakistan South Asia Lower middle income SOURCE   GNI per capita, Atlas method (current US$) $1,260 2012   Pakistan South Asia Lower middle income SOURCE

Projects & Operations

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Mapping for Results – Pakistan SOURCESOURCE IBRD/IDA Operations Approved by Fiscal Year SOURCESOURCE $744.0 millionFY2013   Pakistan   New and Supplemental Projects by Fiscal Year SOURCESOURCE 5FY2013   Pakistan

Finances

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Summary of IBRD Loans $2.505 billionDisbursed as of 7/31/2013SOURCESOURCE   Original Principal Amount Disbursed Amount Undisbursed Amount Borrower’s Obligation Cancelled Amount   Summary of IDA Credits $12.63 billionDisbursed as of 7/31/2013SOURCESOURCE   Original Principal Amount Disbursed Amount Undisbursed Amount Borrower’s Obligation Cancelled Amount Summary of Contributions to Financial Intermediary Funds $52.58 million Paid in as of 6/30/2013 SOURCESOURCE

Surveys

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Most Recent Surveys (13 total)SOURCESOURCE Global Financial Inclusion (Global Findex) Database 2011 By: Development Research Group, Finance and Private Sector Development Unit – World Bank Submitted on: Dec 12, 2012 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2010 – Balochistan By: United Nations Children’s Fund, Planning and Development Department – Government of Balochistan Submitted on: Jan 30, 2013 Demographic and Health Survey 2006-2007 By: National Institute of Population Studies Submitted on: Feb 26, 2013 Enterprise Survey 2007 By: World Bank Submitted on: Jun 05, 2011