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PESHAWAR, Jan 11 (APP):A snowless winter and drastic shortage of seasonal rains have raised concerns among experts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, intensifying fears of desertification, drought, and an early, harsher summer.
Environmental experts warned that without urgent interventions, particularly massive plantation drives, the country could face long-term ecological and economic consequences, besides negatively impacting water aquifers.
Ranked among the world’s top ten most climate-vulnerable countries, Pakistan is witnessing unprecedented shifts in its weather patterns. Once predictable winter rain and snowfall cycles are now increasingly erratic, a change experts attribute to deforestation and global warming.
Gulzar Rehman, former Conservator at the Department of Climate Change, Forest and Environment, told APP that Pakistan’s seasonal rhythm has been badly disrupted due to climate change.
“In the past, winter rains and snowfall would begin in early December and continue at regular intervals till April,” he recalled. “However, in 2025, the first winter rain occurred as late as December 31. Even now, snowfall and rains have not fully set in, significantly increasing the risk of drought and desertification.”
He warned that southern Pakistan remains particularly vulnerable as it depends heavily on glacier-fed flows of the Indus River. Reduced snowfall directly threatens water availability for agriculture, drinking, and power generation, besides affecting winter tourism.
While northern and mountainous areas of Pakistan received sporadic rain and snowfall between December 31 and January 1 last, large parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh remain unusually dry so far in winter.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, rainfall across the country is nearly 40 percent below the 30-year average, with the Pothwar region among the hardest hit.
Last year’s lack of winter precipitation in Malakand, Hazara, and northern Punjab resulted in unseasonably warm January temperatures, worsening soil moisture loss and crop stress.
“Food security is now under serious threat,” Gulzar stressed. “Massive plantation initiatives are no longer optional—they are essential to stabilize ecosystems and restore the water cycle.”
Unchecked desertification, land degradation, and drought (DDLD), he cautioned, could cause annual economic losses of up to $42 billion globally, while wiping out nearly six million hectares of productive land every year.
In Pakistan, nearly two-thirds of agricultural land and about 80 percent of arid and semi-arid regions are already vulnerable.
Compounding the challenges is continued deforestation, desertification and drought. According to the National Forest Policy, Pakistan loses approximately 27,000 hectares of forest annually, especially in community-managed forests in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.
To counter these challenges, the federal government launched the Sustainable Land Management Project (SLMP) in 2014. Initially covering 12,000 hectares across nine dryland districts, the project later expanded to promote sustainable agriculture and water conservation over an additional 8,000 hectares. Phase-II extended efforts to 14 highly desertification-prone districts, including Chakwal, Bhakkar, Tharparkar, and Umerkot.
Chief Conservator of Forests KP, Ahmad Jalil, said the department is pursuing a multi-dimensional strategy aimed at increasing forest cover to improve rainfall patterns and snowfall frequency.
“Beyond forest protection, we are focusing on sustainable environmental management and land-use planning,” he said, highlighting achievements under the Billion Tree Afforestation Program and the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami Program.
He added that strict actions against illegal logging, ongoing development initiatives, and institutional reforms have strengthened forestry governance in the province.
Reaffirming the department’s mission, Ahmad Jalil said forestry is not only critical for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but essential for regional environmental balance, economic resilience, and social well-being.
Tracing the roots of modern forestry management, he said that the system dates back to 1867 during the British era, when the Imperial Forest Service was established primarily to supply timber.
Today, it has evolved into a comprehensive framework focused on conservation and restoration.
Providing statistical insight, he said that the government-owned protected forests cover 0.512 million hectares (58 percent) of KP’s forest area, while privately owned Guzara forests account for 0.239 million hectares (27 percent).
However, manpower shortages in KP forest department remain a major challenge. Out of 7,425 approved posts, only 5,228 are filled. The forest guard cadre faces the most acute shortfall, with 1,462 vacancies that urgently need to be addressed.
Despite these constraints, progress continues to improve chances of snowfall and rain through the whopping plantation and scientific management of forests.
“As of October 2025, 42 working plans are underway across the province. Under the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami Project, 711.35 million saplings have already been raised, achieving 98.08 percent of enclosure targets and 85.53 percent of farm forestry and free distribution targets.”
As Pakistan confronts to monster challenge of climate change, experts agreed that forests may be the country’s strongest defense to quietly restore rainfall patterns, protecting livelihoods, and offering hope in an increasingly warming world.