On World Snow Leopard Day, the Hindu Kush Environmental Protection Alliance (HEPA), together with students of The Beacon of North School, held an awareness event in Joghor. The event and walk were supported by the district administration, TMA Chitral, Chitral Gol National Park and the Snow Leopard Foundation.
In the first part of the event, school students, local dignitaries and representatives of environmental organizations took part in an awareness walk. The traffic police arranged a formal traffic plan for it. Participants and students carried placards and banners calling for snow leopard conservation, action on climate change and environmental legislation. Anwar Maqsood, an assistant researcher with the Snow Leopard Foundation, represented the foundation in the walk.
After the walk, HEPA President Sarwar Kamal addressed a ceremony at the school and gave a detailed presentation on the importance of the snow leopard and the threats it faces. He said the snow leopard is a rare natural heritage currently at risk of extinction, and that safeguarding it for future generations is a shared responsibility.
Sarwar Kamal said unchecked cutting of chestnut and deodar trees for fuel is destroying wildlife’s natural habitat. Chestnut is a primary food source for the markhor, which is an important prey animal for the snow leopard. He called on the government to provide local residents with electricity generated by Golen Gol at subsidized rates so they would no longer have to rely on forests for fuel.
Effective Environmental Legislation
Referring to the recent devastating flood in Joghor Gol, he said a legal impasse had hindered implementation of the district administration’s order banning commercial grazing. He called for effective legislation to protect Chitral’s fragile ecological system.
Sarwar Kamal welcomed the Rs 250 million raised by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government through markhor trophy-hunting permits, but expressed concerns about transparency in the Village Conservation Committees (VCCs). He said HEPA had submitted an 11-point draft proposing reforms to the VCC system to the Deputy Commissioner and the DFO Wildlife.
At the end of the ceremony, prizes were distributed to students who performed best in a speech competition on the theme, and HEPA and the Snow Leopard Foundation presented an honorary shield to The Beacon of North School. The ceremony concluded with a prayer.
Source: Chitral Express Urdu.
Muhammad Nayab Khan is a visionary leader, serial entrepreneur, and financial consultant with over a decade of professional experience in enterprise development, corporate branding, and digital infrastructure. Holding a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance from the University of the Punjab, he serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Qashqar Pakistan and Pamir Network, while actively contributing as an Executive Body Member for the Chitral Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
As a certified QuickBooks Accountant and seasoned trainer, Nayab is deeply passionate about bridging the gap between traditional business operations and modern digital solutions. He has spearheaded numerous capacity-building and technical financial digitizing workshops, training enterprises and entrepreneurs on QuickBooks Desktop across Lahore and the Chitral District. Combining sharp financial acumen with versatile expertise in corporate branding, graphic design, and digital media, Muhammad Nayab is dedicated to empowering businesses, streamlining operations, and driving sustainable economic growth in Pakistan's SME sector.
