MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Supreme Court issued strict instructions to the AJK government to activate the “environmental courts” across the state to deal with environmental-related issues.
Chief Justice Supreme Court Raja Saeed Akram passed the orders on July 1, 2025, in a civil appeal. The court instructed that the decision be communicated to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir government through the Chief Secretary for its implementation.
Announcing the verdict, the court has directed the state government to constitute a high-powered task force, including representatives from the Forest Department, Revenue Department, Anti-Corruption, and the judiciary, to free encroached forest land from occupiers.
This task force should be empowered to identify and investigate all illegally occupied forest lands throughout Azad Kashmir.
Moreover, the court instructed to carry out a comprehensive GIS-based satellite mapping of forest land boundaries to create a digital record, adding that the digital mapping of forest lands should enable real-time monitoring of the lands.
An independent audit of land records of the Revenue Department should be conducted for the last twenty years, the court maintained.
“The government should initially identify and invalidate the elements that converted forest lands into private ownership, fraudulent transactions, and land ownership registrations, and initiate necessary criminal and civil proceedings against those responsible for allotting and arranging forest lands fraudulently,” the verdict added.
In addition to that, the apex court also ordered to revision of the existing legal framework for forest conservation to make the law more effective. The Forest Conservation Act should include strong provisions for accountability and environmental protection, it added.
Moreover, the Supreme Court ordered to return of the illegally occupied forest land without delay, and cases of forest and environmental violations should be decided promptly.
It further maintained that the government officials found involved in encroachment or tampering with records will face disciplinary action and criminal cases.
“Transparency should be ensured by providing public access to forest land records, land status updates, and restoration efforts through online platforms,” the court instructed the government.
