Deforestation in Pakistan.

Byline: SHIZA IMDAD-Karachi.

When we drink a glass of water, write in a notebook, take medicine for a fever or build a house, we do not always make the connection with forests. And yet, these and many other aspects of our lives are linked to forests in one way or another.

Forests play an important role in providing shelter as over 2 billion people rely on forests. Pakistan covers an area of 87.98 million ha; this includes 4.57 million ha of forests, constituting 5.2 percent of the total land area.

As a source of food, shelter, water, fuel and security there is a greater...