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'Efforts being made to preserve national parks'

KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Forests and Environment, Iftikhar Soomro Sunday said that the government has formed an independent policy to keep national parks in their natural shape.

The minister was speaking at a workshop on "Base-line Study for Khirthar National Park Take Off" here.

The workshop was attended by 16-member Australian survey team and representatives from University of Melbourne besides Dumber EL committee.

Highlighting the importance of national parks, the minister said Khirther National Park which was already declared a sensitive environmental area would be preserved in its original natural form.

He said the Government of Sindh and Sindh wildlife department had been taking every possible step aimed at the maintenance and uplift of the Khirther National Park besides its environment studies.

In this regard, foreign technical assistance and advice would welcomed so that the parks could be maintained in their original condition, he added.

The provincial Secretary Forests and Wildlife, Shamsul Haq Memon said the Khirther National Park was a unique natural heritage and its baseline study would help carry out sensitive study of the national parks.

He lauded the contribution made by the foreign experts who highlighted the importance of Khirther National Park and bribed about the efforts being made by Sindh wildlife department in this regard. APP