The forests of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir are home to rare species of birds, but due to illegal hunting by establishment officials, including Pak Army officers, and local state agents, rare wildlife is being exterminated and many rare bird species are missing.
According to local sources, the destruction of forest and rare wildlife is taking place at a rapid pace, with officers buying off local agents for the expensive hunting of Markhor (screw-horned goat). Official hunters secretly hunt more than ten Markhors at the request of the big poachers and deliver the meat of the rare animal to high ranking people of Gilgit and Islamabad. Dozens of local hunters go to the small canals and hunt this rare animal and eat the meat themselves. Locals stated that for a few bucks, the forests were being cleared. For temporary compensation, 110 k.m. of Diamar land is being submerged and that the officials in involved are making money by allowing hunting of these rare fauna.
In addition, the reserves of minerals buried in the mountains are reaching the world market in whopping prices leaving the land,minerals, forests and wildlife vulnerable. The people of POK feel the need to raise a voice for the protection of forest and rare wildlife and that ecological balance cannot be compromised to serve the interests of a few.