Two arrested for cutting mangroves in Karachi

In a first, two people were arrested after registration of case in Karachi for cutting mangroves, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

As per details shared by police, the case was registered at Docks police station against two people for cutting mangroves. The case was registered on the complaint of wildlife department officials.

Police have also recovered 120kg of wood from the custody of arrested people.

Amidst Karachi’s growing concrete jungle, mangrove forests, which protect the city’s coastline against cyclones, strong winds, coastal flooding or other climate change induced disasters, face a serious threat of destruction.

A recent report by WWF-Pakistan has identified several locations along the Karachi coast where significant tracts of mangroves have been cleared for housing schemes and commercial and industrial projects.

The report also highlighted areas where mangrove landscapes were still under threat of massive deforestation.

The Sindh Forest Department (SFD) has been making significant progress in the conservation and management of the mangrove forests in the province.

The department planted mangroves on 55,555 hectares along the Sindh coastline, mainly in the Indus Delta, through their ambitious projects between 2020 and 2024.