The Forestry Department, on Friday, registered a complaint against pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF) for destroying trees in the Balakot area.
According to the information available from media sources, the First Information Report (FIR) further detailed the damage suffered by 19 trees after Indian aircraft “hastily dropped their payload”.
Islamabad has also announced plans to lodge a complaint against India at the UN, accusing New Delhi of committing eco-terrorism.
Climate Change Minister Malik Amin Aslam had said that Indian warplanes had bombed a “forest reserve” and the government was undertaking an environmental impact assessment, which would be used to register a complaint at the UN among other forums.
He exclaimed, “What happened over there is environmental terrorism.”
While making note of the dozens of pine trees that had been razed, the minister maintained “There has been serious environmental damage.”
Two international journalists found four craters at the site of the bombings and claimed that up to 15 pine trees had been brought down.
Meanwhile, local villagers had also dismissed Indian claims of targetting hundreds of militants in the attack.
The UN proclaims in its General Assembly resolution 47/37, “destruction of the environment, not justified by military necessity and carried out wantonly, is clearly contrary to existing international law.”
Last week, Indian warplanes bombed the hilly forest of Jabba Top, near the northern town of Balakot, and about 40 kilometres from occupied Kashmir.
Published in Daily Times, March 9th 2019.
