Pakistan has 36 national parks (Urdu: پاکستان کے نیشنل پارک). As of 2012, 25 of these are under supervision of respective provincial governments and remaining are in private care.[1] Only some of these are under the conservation scope of International Union for Conservation of Nature. Protection and conservation of the environment of Pakistan was included in the concurrent constitution of 1973. As a result, Environment Protection Ordinance was enacted in 1983, which was mainly regulated by the Environment and Urban Affairs Division. Later, a new system of 'Modern Protected Areas' legislation began at the provincial level which assigned the protected areas with designations such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and game reserves. Further recommendations of the national parks of the Indomalayan realm were highlighted in the IUCN review of 1986.[2] Nevertheless, the development of national parks was mainly carried out by National Conservation Strategy of 1992. Due to more awareness about their importance in conservation of biodiversity, 10 national parks have been established during the time period from 1993 to 2005.[1]
According to the 'Modern Protected Areas' legislation, a national park is a protected area set aside by the government for the protection and conservation of its outstanding scenery and wildlife in a natural state. It is accessible to public for research, education and recreation. In order to promote public use, construction of roads and rest houses is permitted. Use of firearms, polluting water, cleaning of land for cultivation, destruction of wildlife is banned in these areas.[3]
The oldest national park is Lal Suhanra in Bahawalpur District, established in 1972.[4] It is also the only biosphere reserve of Pakistan. Lal Suhanra is the only national park established before the independence of the nation in August 1947. The main purpose of this area was to protect the wildlife of Cholistan Desert.[3] Central Karakoram in Gilgit-Baltistan is currently the largest national park in the country, spanning over a total approximate area of 1,390,100 hectares (3,435,011.9 acres). The smallest national park is the Ayubia, covering a total approximate area of 3,312 hectares (8,184.1 acres).
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S.No | National park | Established | Area | District(s) | Province | Coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Himalaya National Park | 2020[5] | 198,900 ha (491,493 acres)[6] | Astore District | Gilgit Baltistan | 35°21′01″N 74°51′32″E / 35.350277777778°N 74.858888888889°E |
2 | Hundrap-Shandur National Park | 1993[7] | 3,312 ha (8,184 acres)[6] | Gupis-Yasin | Gilgit Baltistan | 33°51′55″N 73°08′20″E / 33.865231°N 73.138768°E |
3 | Nanga Parbat National Park | 2020[5] | 1,611 ha (3,981 acres)[6] | Astore District | Gilgit Baltistan | 35°21′01″N 74°51′32″E / 35.350277777778°N 74.858888888889°E |
4 | Broghil Valley | 2010[8] | 134,744 ha (332,960 acres)[8] | Chitral | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 36°50′28″N 73°20′09″E / 36.841164°N 73.335697°E |
5 | Central Karakoram | 1993[3] | 1,390,100 ha (3,435,012 acres)[1] | Hunza-Nagar and Shigar | Gilgit Baltistan | 36°53′52″N 75°05′37″E / 36.897708°N 75.093545°E |
6 | Chinji | 1987[3] | 6,095 ha (15,061 acres)[1] | Chakwal | Punjab | 33°00′37″N 72°29′31″E / 33.010242°N 72.491940°E |
7 | Chitral Gol | 1984[3] | 7,750 ha (19,151 acres)[1] | Chitral | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 35°55′59″N 71°40′14″E / 35.933082°N 71.670693°E |
8 | Deosai | 1993[3] | 358,400 ha (885,626 acres)[1] | Skardu | Gilgit Baltistan | 34°58′21″N 75°23′47″E / 34.972626°N 75.396423°E |
9 | Deva Vatala | 2009[4] | 2,993 ha (7,396 acres)[9] | Bhimber | Azad Kashmir | 32°53′33″N 74°18′11″E / 32.892583°N 74.303172°E |
10 | Gumot | 2004[10] | 27,271 ha (67,388 acres)[9] | Neelum | Azad Kashmir | 35°00′25″N 74°12′01″E / 35.006943°N 74.200287°E |
11 | Musk Deer National Park | 2009[11] | 52,815 ha (130,509 acres)[9] | Neelum | Azad Kashmir | 34°43′53″N 74°47′12″E / 34.731456°N 74.786682°E |
12 | Hazarganji-Chiltan | 1980[3] | 15,555 ha (38,437 acres)[1] | Quetta | Balochistan | 30°17′09″N 67°12′08″E / 30.285695°N 67.202298°E |
13 | Hingol | 1988[3] | 165,004 ha (407,734 acres)[1] | Awaran, Gwadar and Lasbela |
Balochistan | 25°31′34″N 65°05′10″E / 25.526246°N 65.085996°E |
14 | K2 | —
|
233,468 ha (576,912 acres)[12] | Gilgit, Skardu | Gilgit Baltistan | 35°47′17″N 76°10′58″E / 35.788171°N 76.182888°E |
15 | Kala Chitta | 2009[4] | 36,965 ha (91,343 acres)[13] | Attock | Punjab | 33°38′34″N 72°24′03″E / 33.642685°N 72.400824°E |
16 | Khunjerab | 1975[3] | 226,913 ha (560,714 acres)[1] | Hunza | Gilgit Baltistan | 36°30′03″N 75°38′37″E / 36.500805°N 75.643616°E |
17 | Kirthar | 1974[3] | 308,733 ha (762,896 acres)[1] | Dadu | Sindh | 25°39′29″N 67°32′56″E / 25.658107°N 67.548975°E |
18 | Lal Suhanra | 1972[4] | 87,426 ha (216,034 acres)[1] | Bahawalpur | Punjab | 29°23′51″N 72°01′33″E / 29.397409°N 72.025811°E |
19 | Lulusar-Dudipatsar | 2003[3] | 30,375 ha (75,058 acres)[3] | Mansehra | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 35°05′27″N 73°55′47″E / 35.090698°N 73.929749°E |
20 | Machiara | 1996[3] | 13,532 ha (33,438 acres)[9] | Muzaffarabad | Azad Kashmir | 34°30′24″N 73°33′55″E / 34.506557°N 73.565140°E |
21 | Manglot National Park | 1990[3] | 710.628 ha (1,756 acres) | Nowshera | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 36°06′N 73°14′E / 36.10°N 73.23°E |
22 | Margalla Hills | 1980[3] | 17,386 ha (42,962 acres)[1] | Islamabad, Rawalpindi | Punjab | 33°45′16″N 72°57′23″E / 33.754317°N 72.956429°E |
23 | Murree Kotli Sattian Kahuta National Park | 2009[8] | 57,581 ha (142,286 acres)[14] | Rawalpindi | Punjab | 33°44′21″N 73°28′17″E / 33.739032°N 73.471344°E |
24 | Pir Lasura | 2005[3] | 5,625 ha (13,900 acres)[1] | Kotli | Azad Kashmir | 33°38′21″N 73°50′48″E / 33.639204°N 73.846664°E |
25 | Poonch River Mahaseer | 2010[8] | 4,500 ha (11,120 acres)[8] | Kotli, Mirpur and Poonch |
Azad Kashmir | 33°33′19″N 73°54′58″E / 33.555272°N 73.91599°E |
26 | Qurumber | 2011[8] | 74,000 ha (182,858 acres)[8] | Ghizer | Gilgit-Baltistan | 36°51′47″N 73°46′52″E / 36.863141°N 73.781038°E |
27 | Saiful Muluk | 2003[3] | 4,867 ha (12,027 acres)[3] | Mansehra | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 34°52′51″N 73°41′54″E / 34.880862°N 73.698349°E |
28 | Sheikh Badin | 1993[3] | 15,540 ha (38,400 acres)[1] | Dera Ismail Khan | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 32°22′56″N 70°56′59″E / 32.382281°N 70.949707°E |
29 | Toli Pir | 2005[3] | 5,045 ha (12,466 acres)[1] | Poonch | Azad Kashmir | 34°07′15″N 73°37′59″E / 34.12090°N 73.633118°E |
30 | Panjal Mastan National Park | 2005[3] | 5,045 ha (12,466 acres)[1] | Bagh District | Azad Kashmir | 34°03′27″N 73°44′17″E / 34.0574°N 73.7381°E |
31 | Fairy Meadows National Park | 1995[15] | 10,000 ha (24,711 acres)[1] | Diamer District | Gilgit-Baltistan | 35°21′01″N 74°51′32″E / 35.350277777778°N 74.858888888889°E |
32 | Salt Range National Park | 2021[16] | 13,700 ha (33,853 acres)[1] | Chakwal District | Punjab | 32°49′56″N 72°36′54″E / 32.8322°N 72.6151°E |
33 | Tilla Joggian National Park | 2021[17] | 8,840 ha (21,844 acres)[1] | Jhelum District | Punjab | 32°56′33″N 73°43′33″E / 32.9425°N 73.7257°E |
34 | Koh-e-Sulaiman National Park | 2021[18] | 30,000 ha (74,132 acres)[1] | Dera Ismail Khan | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 32°00′00″N 70°17′45″E / 32.0000°N 70.2959°E |
35 | Ziarat National Park | 2021[19] | 21,450 ha (53,004 acres)[1] | Ziarat | Balochistan | 30°23′38″N 67°43′01″E / 30.3939°N 67.7169°E |
36 | Pabbi National Park | Gujrat | Punjab |