Nature has blessed the country of Pakistan with abundant blessings, natural resources and beauty. But we as a nation have proved too worthless not to appreciate these blessings. Instead of benefiting from them, we have always been wasting them.

Due to the biological diversity in the dimensions of Pakistan, there are thousands of species of trees, wild animals, aquatic life, birds and plants. Since every type of biological system is found here, be it snowy, desert, plain, mountainous, wild, dry and plateau, therefore their protection and growth becomes even more important. For this purpose, some protected areas i.e. “National Parks” have been created in the length of Pakistan for the protection of wild life, plants and resources. These are not the children’s

 parks you think they are animal parks.

A national park or a national park is a suburban area in any country which the government declares as a protected area and prohibits all kinds of activities hostile to the environment. In other words we can say that it is a protected area (forest, mountain, snow or desert) where we can witness the treasure of biodiversity. In these places, not only hunting of all kinds of animals and causing any kind of damage to the flora is prohibited, but rare and extinct animals are also bred here in their natural environment. Thus, these “national gardens” are a valuable asset for any nation.

Our country has a total of 29 National Parks (20 under government while 9 under private custody), including 10 major and 19 minor parks, which are about 3 percent of the total area. Among them, 7 parks are located in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 6 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 6 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 6 in Punjab, 2 in Balochistan and one each in Sindh and the federal capital Islamabad. 10 National Parks were established between 1993 and 2005 due to increasing public awareness of wildlife conservation. For any national park, the minimum area must be 4 km and there is such a park of 4 km in our Pakistan, it is Tuli Peer National Park located in Azad Kashmir.

Let’s know about different national gardens/parks of Pakistan.

Khunjerab National Park:

Located in the Hunza Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan, Khunjerab National Park is the 3rd largest park in Pakistan and one of the few highest parks in the world. This National Park is spread over 226,913 hectares, 269 km north-east of Gilgit, which includes Khunjerab and Shimshal valleys. This area was given the status of National Park in April 1979 by the then Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to protect the “Marco Polo Sheep”. As the entire national park is very high above sea level (from 3200 m to 600 m), the entire park is covered with snow during most of the year. The entire area is covered by extensive glaciers and glacial lakes. There is very little greenery in the Khunjerab 

National Park area.

The main purpose of declaring this area as a national park was to not only protect the wild animals found here, especially the rare breed of sheep “Marco Polo sheep”, but also to provide a suitable environment for their breeding. , because this animal is not found anywhere else in Pakistan. Apart from the Marco Polo sheep, there are several species of snow leopards, foxes, golden eagles, chakors, brown herons, owls, wolves, polar bears, Himalayan goats, brown bears and golden mice. Due to the Karakoram highway, it has become easy for common people and tourists to reach here. Due to the ban on hunting, you will also see many animals walking on the Karakoram Highway.

Hingol National Park:

Hingol National Park spread along the Makran coast is the largest national park of Balochistan and Pakistan which is spread over an area of ​​619043 hectares. This park, 190 km away from Karachi, consists of three districts of Balochistan: Gwadar, Lasbela and Awaran. It is named Hangul National Park because of the Hangul River that flows in this area. This area was given the status of National Park in 1988. Hangul National Park is distinguished by the fact that it contains four different types of ecosystems.  Hinglaj temple of Hindus is also located in this park. The park is divided into three sections to operate.

1Marine Range

2 Aghor Range

3 Inland Range

The park is naturally divided into cliffs, sand dunes and plains along the river. The Hangul River flows through the National Park and forms a tidal estuary before falling into the sea, which is home to many migratory waterfowl and thousands of swamp crocodiles. The park’s wildlife includes the mountain goat, Iryal, chinkara, Wild cat, biju, long-eared porcupine, fox, geyser, wolf and mongoose etc. Birds include pheasant, falcon, eagle, pheasant, golden egret, krugis, tern, chaha, shaheen etc. Reptiles include swamp crocodiles, long lizards, thick-tongued lizards, vipers and cobras, and many other marine animals such as turtles and species of fish. Among the flora are Tamarix, Prosupias, Zyceps, and Cicara. Some rare herbs are also found here. Which has great importance in medical terms. Local people treat many diseases through them in indigenous ways. Did you know that Hangul National Park is the only park where swamp volcanoes that emit gas and mud are also found. The famous tourist places of Balochistan “Sahal-i-Kund Malir” and “Princess of Hope” are also located here. The center of the charming rocks is a really beautiful place in the park that needs to be improved.

Lal Suhanra National Park:

Located in Bahawalpur district, Lal Sohanra National Park is one of the largest parks in South Asia. Established since 1972, this largest park in Punjab has been declared a “biological reserve” by UNESCO, a subsidiary of the United Nations. The main feature of this park is its diverse ecosystems, including forest, desert and swamp systems. It is the oldest park in Pakistan.

Located 37 km east of Bahawalpur, this place offers a beautiful combination of desert and wildlife. Out of the total area of ​​51,368 hectares, 20,974 hectares are pastures and grasslands, 40,942 hectares are desert while 4,780 hectares are lakes and ponds. The Desert Branch Canal runs through the middle of this park. The dry passage of the ancient Hakra river is also found in the same park.  The wildlife found in Lal Sohanra Park includes wild cat, leopard, tiger, rabbit, deer, talur, Barasingha, monitor lizard, viper snake, cobra, rat and porcupine. Among the birds, there are roosters, cormorants, eagles, Egyptian vultures, shikras, owls and parrots. “Jheel Patisar” in the center of the park is a huge bird habitat where 10 to 30 thousand ducks are found every year in winter. The main attraction of the park is the pair of wild rhinoceros which were gifted to Pakistan by Nepal.  The Punjab government is trying to convert this park into an international style safari park.

 Chitral Gol National Park:

This park was built in 1984 near the Chitral River in the areas of Kailash and Wadi Gol in Chitral district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Its total area is 7750 hectares. It is located at a distance of two hours from Chitral. There are many ice glaciers here. Surrounded by the peaks of the Hindu Kush, this park is famous for its Markhor goats. Apart from this, Siberian goats, oud blau, wolves, red fox, ababil, black bear and Ladakhi bear (shapu) are also found here.

The land of this park is still disputed between the Government of Pakistan and the heirs of Mehtar-e-Chitral. This park is one of the coldest regions of Pakistan.

Kirthar National Park:

The second largest national park of Pakistan is the only park located in Sindh province, which is spread over an area of ​​about 3000 square kilometers. Located on the border of Sindh and Balochistan, this park extends to Mount Kirthar and the southwestern districts of Sindh province, Jamshoro and Karachi, and was established in 1974. It was the first park of Pakistan to be included in the list of National Parks by the United Nations.

Kirthar National Park is a major habitat of leopards in Pakistan. Various species of birds including jackal, fox, wild cat, mountain goat, Barasingha, hedgehog, mountain lizard, markhor and chinkara are also found here.

Hab Dam, Koh-e-Trash, the ancient tombs of Tong and the famous fort of Ranikot are located within the park’s boundaries.

Deosai National Park:

Deosai National Park in Deosai, the world’s highest plateau and home to rare brown bears, is situated at an altitude of 13,500 feet above sea level. Established in 1993, this park is located between Astoor, Khurmang and Skardu valleys of Baltistan and covers an area of ​​3000 square kilometers.

The highlight of this park is the rare brown bears found here. Bears of this species are not found anywhere else in the world. Here too they are facing extinction. The highest peak of this region is Hatrang which is 16000 feet high. The total area of ​​Deosai is 3000 sq km. Deosai is completely covered in snow for eight to nine months of the year. Snow falls up to 30 feet here, during which even the helicopters of the Pakistan Army do not pass over it.

In the Shina language spoken in Baltistan, Deosai means the land of the giant, because according to a tradition, this is the abode of a giant named “Deosaya” and accordingly it is called Deosai, while in the Balti language, it is here in large numbers. Because of the flowers present, it is called “Bhair Sar” meaning the land of flowers.

Currently, there are only 30 bears in Deosai, once there were hundreds of bears roaming here, but human greed has hunted this beautiful and the largest omnivorous animal (carnivores and vegetarians) of Pakistan to extinction. The bear spends six months of the year hibernating in caves from November to April, during which time its body fat melts to provide energy. Outside on the mountains, when the snow melts, it comes out of its cave. Apart from bear, marmot (a type of rabbit), Tibetan wolf, red fox, Himalayan ibex, yak, Himalayan musk deer, snow grouse, Ladakhi ibex and snow leopard, as well as migratory birds including golden eagle, vulture, bearded vulture. Eagles and Chakras are notable finds. Apart from this, about 150 species of valuable and rare herbs are also found here, out of which only 10-15 herbs are used by local people for various ailments. Take a look at the vast grounds of Deosai and you will be greeted by colorful flowers and marmots standing on their hind legs and crossing their arms across their chests. Kalapani and Sheosar Lake are famous places here. This park is one of the most beautiful places in the world and many books have been written about it.

Hazarganji Chiltan National Park:

Hazar Ganji National Park is a beautiful park located 20 km southwest of Quetta in Mastung District of Balochistan. It has an area of ​​32,500 acres and is situated at an altitude of 2021 to 3264 meters above sea level. It was established in 1980 to protect wildlife. The park reflects the natural mountain environment. There is Chaltan in the west and Hazarganji mountain range in the east. An excellent museum in this park is worth a visit.

Hazar Ganji means “the place of a thousand treasures”. It indicates that there are thousands of treasures buried at the foot of the mountains, this impression is due to its passage of various historical forces and Baloch tribes. Initially, the purpose of establishing this park was to save the species of Chaltan wild goat and Markhor, which were reduced from 1200 to only 200 in 1970. Now their number has crossed 800 again. Sulaiman Markhor is the special animal here which is found in the areas of Mount Sulaiman. Apart from this, the Indian wolf, leopard, wild cat, fox, desert hare, snake, lizards, taurus, chakkachi, owl, vulture, quail, hornet, chakor, nihal khor, nava and various other birds are found here.

Machiara National Park

Machiara National Park is situated in the enchanting Neelum Valley of Azad Kashmir, which was granted National Park status in 1996. This park is one of the few areas where the Kabak or Daraj (species of Asiatic pheasant) are bred. With a redneck and black and white wings found here, the “Western Darr” belongs to the most famous pheasant breed in the world. This species is facing the threat of extinction today. The park has a vast collection of pine trees which is a habitat for the birds here.

This park is located on the right bank of the Neelum River, 35 km from Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Kashmir. On the other side of it is the Kaghan Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Machiara National Park has a total area of ​​13,532 hectares. This national park contains the Western Himalayan Forests, one of the 200 global ecosystems. It receives an average annual rainfall of 6.327 ml.

. Margalla Hills National Park:

Located at the foothills of the southern hills of the Himalayas, Margalla Hill National Park is located in the federal capital of Islamabad. The park also includes tourist attractions like Shakarparian Park, Daman-e-Koh, Pir Sohawa and Rawal Lake.  Built in 1980, the park is spread over an area of ​​approximately 17,386 hectares. Margalla Hill National Park is known for its Chinese and Himalayan fauna. The park is a sanctuary for leopards, deer, wild boars, golden jackals, peacocks, foxes, taurus, monkeys, snakes, bats and birds.

Lolosaradudi Patsara and Saiful Mulk National Park

Located in the Kaghan valley of Mansehra district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, this park was established in 2003. The famous lakes of Kaghan Valley, DudipatSar and Lulusar are part of this park. Saiful Muluk National Park is located nearby. Together, the two parks cover an area of ​​88,000 hectares. Snow leopard, black bear, snow leopard and marmot are the important wildlife here.

Tuli Peer National Park

Located in Tehsil Rawalakot of Poonch District of Azad Kashmir, Toli Pir National Park is a high rise park and hill station at an altitude of 8800 feet. Toli Pir is a hill station named after a saint whose shrine There are still traces of It is the highest point of Tehsil Rawalakot and is the junction of three mountain ranges. Abbaspur, Bagh and Poonch River can be seen from here.

Ayubia National Park 

Ayubia National Park is located in Abbottabad district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 26 km from Murree. This area was named Ayubiyah after the former President of Pakistan Ayub Khan. Four different mountain places Ghoda Gali, Changla Gali, Khaira Gali and Ayubiya were combined to form the Ayubia Recreation Area. Its old name is Ghoda Dhaka and the park covers 3312 hectares. Ayubia National Park is a major habitat of rare species of temperate and humid Himalayan forests in Pakistan. The cypress trees on the slopes of the hills make for a charming sight. Many species of birds such as golden eagle, wild pigeon, vulture etc. are found in the park while the animals include black bear, red squirrel, musk-bleau, wild Kashmiri fox and lynx. Here you can also see hundreds of monkeys jumping around.

Apart from the tourist spots and green areas like Miranjani Pahar and Thandiani, a chairlift is also an attraction for tourists. It was the first entertainment activity of its kind in Pakistan.

Central Karakoram National Park

The Central Karakoram National Park is South Asia’s largest protected area (some call it the largest national park) in Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, covering 10,557 square kilometers. Its complete and regular boundaries have not yet been determined. It is also the highest national park in the world. The park has the largest reservoirs of glaciers after the poles, while a wide variety of animals are also found. Established in 1993, the park is home to majestic glaciers like Baltoro, Biafo and Haspar, while Two of the world’s great peaks, Gasherbrum 1, Gasherbrum 2 and Broad Peak are also part of this park. This park has two parts. One includes glaciers and high peaks where access by common people is very difficult. The second part includes human settlements and relatively low elevation areas. Wildlife of Central Karakoram National Park includes Markhor, Mountain Goat, Uryal, Marcopolo, Wild Hare, Mountain Nuella, Marten, Brown Bear, Turkestan Black Goose. Includes black bear, fox, Tibetan wolf and snow leopard. Birds include golden sparrows, mountain parrots, vultures and various rare birds.

.Chinji National Park

Chinji National Park, established in 1986, is located in Talagang Tehsil of Chakwal. Located in the Potohar region, the park is spread over 6,095 hectares. Located 130 km south of Islamabad, this park is located near “Koh-e Namak”. The Soan River irrigates this area of ​​sandstone, volcanic clay and salt rocks. The climate of Chanji National Park is dry and the rare species of Coral is found here. It is one of the lucky parks under the control of the famous organization “International Union for Conservation of Nature”.

Bruggeel National Park 

Brugal National Park is located in the Chitral district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, very close to the Pak-Afghan border. Built in 2010, the park is spread over about 124,964 hectares. Brugal Valley is located in the extreme north of Pakistan, beyond which the Wakhan Belt begins. The entire region consists of high mountains which are frozen with snow in winter. The human population here is very small. Pakistan’s second highest, the charming and Hussain Cromber Lake is located in the same area, which is a wonderful place for camping. Here you will see yaks and vultures in abundance. Apart from this, this area is also the habitat of birds coming from Pamir and Siberia.

Shandor Hindrop National ParkShandur Handrap National Park located in Ghazar district of Gilgit-Baltistan was established in 2012 on the border of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Spread over 3,132 hectares, the park also hosts Pakistan’s famous festival “Shandur Polo Festival” every year. Apart from this, Dara Shandur is also located here.

Kala Chitta National Park

Attock district is home to the famous Kala Chitta mountain range, which was declared a National Park in 2009. It is located 20 km northwest of Islamabad. The Kala Chitta Hills are part of the Potohar Plateau, located in the north of Attock District. The northern hills are called “Chitta Pathra” while the southern parts are called “Kala Patra”. The wildlife here includes leopards, chinkaras, deer, pheasants and porcupines.

Panjal Mastan National Park

Panjal Mastan National Park is located at an altitude of 8500 feet above sea level in Bagh district of Azad Kashmir. The park is spread over 300 square kilometers. The park is covered with snow from November to April. Panjal Mastan National Park is known for the unique bio-system of Mount Pir Panjal.

In the spring season the park presents a unique sight with flowers and many species of butterflies. Monkeys, leopards, wild boars, foxes and different types of birds are found here.

Gurez (Musk Deer) National Park

Gurez National Park was established in 2009 in the Upper Neelum Valley. Covering 52,815 hectares, this park is located along Occupied Kashmir beyond Taubat. Apart from these, Sheikh Badin National Park (Dera Ismail Khan), Ghamot National Park (Wad Neelam), Karumbrational Park (Ghazar), Poonch Mahasir National Park (Kotli) , Mirpur, Poonch), Mari Kotli Sattian, Kahuta National Park (Rawalpindi), Dewa Vitala National Park (Bhambar Azad Kashmir), K National Park (Gilgit-Baltistan) and Ayub National Park (Rawalpindi).

The moment of concern is that only a few of these parks are included in the list of the international organization “International Union for Conservation of Nature”. Forests and wildlife are facing extinction in Pakistan. Their protection is the national responsibility of all of us, in which the government and the people will have to contribute equally.