Serious environmental concerns have surfaced after the Punjab Assembly Standing Committee on Forests and Wildlife approved three amendment bills permitting mining activities in protected forests and wildlife habitats.
The committee, chaired by Chaudhry Akhtar Abbas Bosal, unanimously cleared the Punjab Protected Areas Amendment Bill 2026, the Forests Amendment Bill 2026, and the Punjab Wildlife Protection and Management Amendment Bill 2026.
Under the proposed legislation, the Punjab Government aims to promote the mining sector by allowing mineral extraction in designated conservation zones.
The amendments seek to revise key laws, including the Forest Act 1927, the Punjab Protected Areas Act 2020, and the Punjab Wildlife Act 1974.
Officials said the current legal framework had been acting as a barrier to mining projects.
The new laws intend to remove these hurdles and enable the use of forest land for projects considered of “national importance,” while also aligning with national mineral policy and curbing illegal mining through regulation.
However, environmental experts have warned of severe consequences. World Wide Fund for Nature Pakistan Director-General Hammad Naqi termed the move a “total disaster,” cautioning that it could cause irreversible damage to biodiversity and undermine conservation efforts.
Experts argue that reclassifying protected areas for mining could weaken legal protections, contradict Pakistan’s climate commitments, and threaten fragile ecosystems.
The bills will now be presented before the provincial assembly for final approval before being sent to the governor for assent.
