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In its latest move to generate jobs while boosting conservation and curbing the impacts of climate change, Pakistan has announced the creation of a National Parks Service, modelled on the U.S. agency.
Pakistan PM announces 15 national parks as part of ‘Protective Areas Initiative’
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the creation of 15 national parks across the country under the ‘Protective Area Initiative’ to protect and enhance forest cover, create green jobs and address the threat of climate change. Almost 5,000 direct green jobs will be created for the youth in the initial phase of the project. “This a major initiative which will benefit future generations” Khan said. Protecting green areas and parks will boost Pakistan’s efforts to address the challenge of climate change, he said, referring to the 10 billion trees plantation program that received global acclaim.
Imran Khan announces establishment of 15 national parks across Pakistan
In its latest bid to generate jobs amid the COVID-19 pandemic while boosting conservation and curbing the impacts of climate change, Pakistan’s prime minister Imran Khan has announced the creation of Pakistan’s first National Parks Service, modeled on the US agency.
Under the initiative, the country aims to get more local communities involved in running national parks and earning an income as they protect nearby conservation areas.
The first phase of the Protected Areas Initiative, launched on July 2, will focus on 15 national parks that make up a total of 7,300 sq km (2,800 sq miles), spanning from Khunjerab in the north to the area around Astola Island in the south.
The project aims to create up to 5,000 new jobs, mainly for young people who will work as park guards and custodians, and boost eco-tourism in the country, authorities said when the initiative was announced.“The dual objective is to protect nature while also generating jobs for unemployed youth,” Malik Amin Aslam, climate change advisor to Prime Minister Imran Khan, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
The parks plan fits into Pakistan’s post-coronavirus “green stimulus” vision, which also includes hiring thousands of unemployed day labourers to plant trees as part of the country’s 10 Billion Tree Tsunami programme.
Scroll down for some stunning images of Pakistan’s varied landscapes and green spaces. We can’t blame Prime Minister Kahn for wanting to protect such breathtaking beauty.
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