Touseef Ahmad
A tree provides the source of life, but its elimination can cause unprecedented destruction. With the rise of industrial activities, cutting down trees, also known as deforestation, has been accelerated. It is performed based on different motives; such as domestic use as a coil for making papers, pages, and residential purposes. Deforestation does not only include wiping out trees, but it also diminishes the environmental beauty and gives birth to umpteen disasters such as climate change and as a result global warming. It is a divine blessing that forest and trees are natural industries of oxygen that provides fresh air all day long to every living organism. Forests are being cut down at a very high rate and it is done solely by humans as agricultural waste, cattle breeding, dam construction, and developing urban centers. It can also be caused by natural disasters such as forest fires, parasites, etc. This calamity can lead to drastic climate change, global warming, floods, and disruption of the natural habitat of various species. Pakistan has a very high rate of deforestation and it has crossed the figure of 1.23%; that was from 2000 to 2005, and it has been increasing day by day as the needs of the rising population are mounting the sky. Pakistan is among the top 20 countries that are to be badly affected by climate change soon. Recently we have witnessed horrendous natural disasters in different parts of Pakistan and especially in Kalam and Swat. All this destruction has its roots in mismanagement and not paying attention to deforestation which is a serious threat to the environment. That unfortunate day is not far when it would be a more drastic natural disaster we will be going through. Climate change does not only include rising temperatures, but it also leads to very serious issues such as mass migrations of humans as well as animals. As their places are being destroyed with the removal of trees and because of their migration they have lost much of their species and by not finding suitable places for their living they have been reduced to finite figures, which is a very serious threat to the environment. Every creature has a different and specific role to play in the environment to keep the environment balanced, This would be confined only to climate and environmental issues, but it will also pose a security as well as a national political threat. We all blame ourselves for our deeds that have caused this destruction, but we do not halt ourselves from the removal of trees. The government should take cogent initiatives to preserve Mother Nature by making people aware of the consequences, and the nightmare that is waiting ahead because of deforestation. There should be initiatives of wide-scale plantation and campaigns aimed at spreading the blessings of having a green and pollution-free environment. The governments should provide gas facilities to hammer the use of trees for domestic purposes. If deforestation is not strained at this time then it would vanish the beauty of nature and a clean and clear environment. It will give birth to many fatal diseases such as; asthma and other respiratory maladies. To put an end to the threat of climate change, the plantation of trees is the only viable option available to us at this critical time.
