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Pakistan has 25 protected areas known as national parks. As of 2009, 19 of these are under supervision of respective provincial governments and remaining are in private care.[1] Only some of these are under the conservation scope of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Protection and conservation of the environment of Pakistan was included in the concurrent constitution of 1973. As a result, Environment Protection Ordinance was enacted in 1983, which was mainly regulated by the Environment and Urban Affairs Division. Later, a new system of 'Modern Protected Areas' legislation began at the provincial level which assigned the protected areas with designations such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and game reserves. Further recommendations of the national parks of the Indomalaya ecozone were highlighted in the IUCN review of 1986.[2] Nevertheless, the development of national parks was mainly carried out by National Conservation Strategy of 1992. Due to increased awareness about their importance in conservation of biodiversity, 10 national parks have been established during the time period from 1993 to 2005.[1]
According to the 'Modern Protected Areas' legislation, a national park is a protected area set aside by the government for the protection and conservation of its outstanding scenery and wildlife in a natural state. It is accessible to public for research, education and recreation. In order to promote public use, construction of roads and rest houses is permitted. Use of firearms, polluting water, cleaning of land for cultivation, destruction of wildlife is banned in these areas.[3] The oldest national park is Lal Suhanra in Bahawalpur District, established in 1972.[4] It is also the only biosphere reserve of Pakistan. Lal Suhanra is the only national park established before the independence of the nation in August 1947. The main purpose of this area was to protect the wildlife of Cholistan Desert.[3] The most recent addition is the Kala Chitta in Attock District, established in 2009.[4]Central Karakoram in Gilgit Baltistan is currently the largest national park in the country, spanning over a total approximate area of 1,390,100 ha (3,435,012 acres). The smallest national park is the Ayub, covering a total approximate area of 931 ha (2,301 acres).
Originally known as 'Topi Park', it was renamed 'Ayub National Park' in honor of the late Ayub Khan in 1970. It is currently the smallest national park in Pakistan. The park is located along the Grand Trunk Road and also features a golf course and an animal theme park, Jungle World.[6]
Named after the constituent village of Ayubia, the park covers many galyat of the Himalayas. Highest point is the Miranjani. The park features temperate alpine and broadleaf coniferous forestry and is a refuge for Kalij and Koklass pheasants.[8]
It is the largest national park in Pakistan and includes many glaciers like Baltoro and mountains like K2.[9] Central Karakoram National Park is also one of the most visited mountaineering areas on the globe. The park features temperate alpine and broadleaf coniferous forestry and is a refuge for markhor and snow leopard.[10]
^Nawaz, Ali (2007). "Status of the brown bear in Pakistan"(PDF). bearproject.info. Department of Ecology and Natural resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
^ abcde"Protected areas of AJK". forest.ajk.gov.pk. Government of Azad and Jammu Kashmir. 2009. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
^ ab"Dhrun National Park". wdpa.org. World Database on protected Areas. Retrieved September 8, 2010.