ISTANBUL

Pakistan loses 11,000 hectares of forest cover each year due to deforestation, wildfires, climate change, and the conversion of forest land into agriculture, commercial, and housing schemes, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said Friday.

In a statement issued on International Day of Forests 2025, WWF-Pakistan highlighted the urgent need to protect and restore the country’s forests.

The organization emphasized that forest conservation requires a comprehensive strategy involving government institutions, conservation groups, and local communities working together.

Pakistan, classified as a forest-deprived country, has only 5% of its total land area covered by forests. Low rainfall limits forest growth, while unsustainable logging accelerates destruction.

Hammad Naqi Khan, director general of WWF-Pakistan, said forests play a crucial role in regulating climate conditions, preventing floods and droughts, and providing economic and social benefits.

“Conserving forests is, therefore, not just an environmental imperative but a social and economic necessity,” he said, stressing that restoring degraded forests is essential for improving food security and tackling climate change.

WWF-Pakistan urged government agencies, civil society, businesses, and local communities to work together in forest conservation, underscoring their vital role in sustaining life on Earth.

Pakistan was ranked the most vulnerable country to climate change in 2022, according to the Climate Risk Index 2025 report by Germanwatch.