MALOT SATTIAN

Malot Sattian is situated about 16 km north of Kotli, from where it can be approached by a metalled road to Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir. It extends eastwards through by means of a bridge across the Jhelum river, 5 km from Malot to Kalliari Patton and thence to Bagh in Azad Kashmir. The village stands on 4500 ft high ridge which acts as a water divide between the Jhelum river in the east and it’s tributary, Khad in the West. The slopes facing the two streams have a gullied topography. This is mainly due to the erosion action of the stream-lets. The Chajjana reserve forest lies near this village.

It commands a strategic position on Punjab-AJK border and serves as a terminal point for the transport coming from Rawalpindi.
The village covers a 3,636 acre area, 1,423 acres are cultivated and 2,213 acres are uncultivated. The major food staples are wheat and maize.
The village has two high schools for a boys and a girls and two middle schools for both sexes. The literacy rate of the village is 90%.

                                      

ZEENIA SADIQ SATTI

Daughter of Ex Brigadier Sadiq Khan Satti, Zeenia Sadiq Satti is a geopolitical and security analyst based in Islamabad, Pakistan.

She has studied International Relations and Middle Eastern Affairs at Harvard University, MIT, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, USA. She is a former Harvard teaching fellow.

She is the Founding Executive Director of PPLDM, Pakistan's People Led Disaster Management. She lives and works in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Previously she worked as a security analyst, an energy consultant and analyst of energy geopolitics based in Washington DC.

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Click here to visit the website of PPLDM

         

           

15 Schools of Tehsil Murree and Kotli Sattian upgraded to higher levels

 The Punjab government has upgraded 15 schools to the levels of elementary, secondary and higher secondary in the constituency of PP-1 Punjab. These schools are situated in different Union Councils of Tehsil Murree and Kotli Sattian. 107 posts are also created following the demand of the staff after the up-gradation of 15 schools recently approved by Punjab Government.

While talking to Capital Times Arshed Abbasi PMLN leader and coordinator to Provincial Minister for Labour and Men Power Raja Ashfaq Sarwar confirmed the news and said that keeping in view the need of the students to upgrade these schools Provincial Minister and PMLN leadership of the area made every efforts and finally 15 schools are upgraded to next levels.

A senior official of the education department told Capital Times that the ruling party’s leader Raja Ashfaq Sarwar had recommended the schemes which the provincial government approved.

“We are happy that we will have to go nowhere else as our own school has been upgraded to high school,” said Maria, a student. “We are from poor families and it was difficult for us to send our daughters to remote areas to seek education for matric classes. Upgradation of the school has resolved our problems,” said a group of parents.
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PINE NUTS PRODUCTION IN PAKISTAN

A pine cone is an organ of the pine tree containing its reproductive structures. Pine trees are only one of the conifer, or "cone-bearing," plants; others include cedars, firs, cypresses, and redwoods. Pine cones, like the reproductive organs of other conifers, come in male and female varieties.

Pine nuts (Chilghoza) are an edible seed, found inside pine cones.

In Pakistan, Chilgoza is found in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan Provinces, Murree and Kotli Sattian hills in the Punjab province, the Northern Areas (Gilgit Agency) and Kashmir. Chilgoza pine is a hardy tree and can endure excessive drought, high winds, and severe cold in the winter. Nearly 20 percent of the Pakistani forests comprise of Chilgoza trees.

Pakistan is among the world top pine nut producers. In season 2015/2016, Pakistan produced 3,000 MT(kernel basis) of pine nuts, equals to that in previous season, representing 15% of the global production. China remained the largest pine nut producer despite the sharp decrease, with a crop of 5,000 Mt, accounting for 26% of world production. The second largest producer is the Russian Federation (4,050 MT, 21% share), followed by North Korea, Afghanistan and Pakistan (3.000 MT, 15% share). Pakistani pine nuts were exported to China, US, UK, Scandinavian countries, Middle East and Europe.

Pine tree is very slow growing. In year 2013, it was assessed as Near Threatened (NT) species under IUCN red list (IUCN, 2015). The Chilgoza forests of Sulaiman Range are the world’s largest pure stand covering a total area about 260 km2. This forest provides habitat to the Markhor species which is also endangered under IUCN red list. The forest has provided an essential source of livelihoods for local communities and has the potential to reduce soil erosion.
However, the forests are under great threat due to uncontrolled cutting and extensive grazing on land. Communities cut down trees for space, for fuel and for livelihood. Middlemen make huge profits while locals earn little. Therefore they resort to cutting trees for timber rather than collecting nuts. As demand grows, pine nuts are increasingly collected unsustainably. Instead of leaving a few cones thus allowing natural regeneration, communities gather all the cones they find.
NaturePakistan (WWF) has set up a project to cut out the middlemen who buy chilgozas from villagers. Also the harvesters get 2000 rupees for each tree they fell currently, but there is now a 10,000 rupee fine for cutting down a young tree.