In its latest move to generate jobs amid the COVID-19 pandemic while boosting conservation and curbing the impacts of climate change, Pakistan has announced the creation of Pakistan’s first National Parks Service, modeled on the US agency.
Under it, the country aims to get more local communities involved in running national parks and earning an income as they protect nearby conservation areas.
The first phase of the Protected Areas Initiative, launched on July 2, will focus on 15 national parks that make up a total of 7,300 square kilometers, spanning from Khunjerab in the north to the area around Astola Island in the south.
The project aims to create up to 5,000 new jobs, mainly for young people who will work as park guards and custodians, and boost eco-tourism in the country, authorities said when the initiative was announced.
