The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has failed to sell about 0.55 million cubic feet of legally cut timber for the last 16 years. The wood is worth nearly Rs3.8 billion and comes from dry trees that fell in wind in Lower and Upper Kohistan.
The trees were harvested between 2008 and 2010 under the 2003 Dry Wind Fall Policy. In total, around 4.5 million cubic feet of wood was cut. Most of it was sold, but the remaining stock stayed unsold after the policy time limit ended.
Today the timber lies along the Karakoram Highway, other roads, water channels and inside forests. Years of rain, sun and weather have damaged it badly. Some of it could even be washed away by floods.
Local people and forest officials say the delay has caused big financial losses. Forest owners were supposed to get 80 percent of the sale money, while the government kept 20 percent for managing the forests. The owners have waited many years without their share.
Officials explain that cutting and moving the wood in snowy mountains takes a long time. They also say the government fears social media claims of illegal smuggling when trucks carry the timber.
The forest department has now sent a request to higher authorities. It wants cabinet approval so the wood can finally be sold before more value is lost.
