Pakistan registers FIR against Indian pilots for destroying trees in Balakot

ISLAMABAD – Pakistani authorities have lodged a case against Indian pilots for destroying trees in Jaba village, Balakot, the country's environment minister confirmed on Friday.

Officials of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Forest Department have lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against unidentified pilots of Indian Air Force for dropping their payload at a forest reserve in Balkot and destroying valuable trees.

#PakistanValuesNature while #IndiaStrikesNature - IAF booked under #KP Forest Act for the destroyed trees of Jabba (Balakot) #EcoTerrorism pic.twitter.com/ZWrVvA7nqb

— Malik Amin Aslam (@aminattock) March 8, 2019

Reports in local media suggest the payload that was dropped from Indian crafts had damaged 19 pine trees worth Rs190 million.

Meanwhile, the federal government is also mulling to register a complaint against India of eco-terrorism at the United Nations.

'Eco-terrorism': Pakistan to move UN against ... 06:25 PM | 1 Mar, 2019

ISLAMABAD - Taking a strong exception to the so-called 'surgical' strike at Balakot, Pakistan is planning to lodge a ...

Earlier, Climate Change Minister Malik Amin Aslam said that Indian pilots had targeted a forest reserve and the government was undertaking an environmental impact assessment and would lodge a complaint against India at the UN and other international forums.

As per a US General Assembly resolution, Destruction of the environment, not justified by military necessity and carried out wantonly, is clearly contrary to existing international law.

Observers of the United Nations, World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature and other international environmental bodies also visited Jaba village, area of Balakot on Thursday. The international observers will prepare a comprehensive report on damage to environment due to the payload dropped by Indian fighter jets in haste, who had violated the Line of Control (LoC) on February 26.