Pakistan - Country Profile

Status and Trends of Biodiversity

Overview

Located in the south Asian subcontinent, Pakistan occupies a land area of over 880,000 km2. Pakistan spans a remarkable number of the world’s broad ecological regions, including four biomes: the desert biome, temperate grassland biome, tropical seasonal forest biome, and mountain biome. Pakistan fauna includes 668 birds (25 threatened), 198 freshwater fishes (29 endemic, 1 threatened), 177 reptiles (13 endemic, 6 threatened), and 174 mammals (6 endemic, 20 threatened)... More »

Number and Extent of Protected Areas

The protected areas cover 12% of the total land surface area of the country.

Percentage of Forest Cover

Forests in Pakistan cover 4.224 million ha, which constitute only 4.8 percent of the total surveyed area of 87.98 million ha.

National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan

Major features of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

The major aims of the NBSAP are: to create a policy framework that fosters the sustainable use of biological resources; to strengthen and promote National Biodiversity Conservation Programmes and develop international and regional cooperation; to create conditions and incentives for biodiversity conservation at the local community level; to strengthen and apply more broadly the tools and technologies for conserving biodiversity; and to strengthen human knowledge, will and capacity to conserve biodiversity... More »

Implementation of the Convention

Measures Taken to Achieve the 2010 Target

No target has been formally set, and realizing the gaps, the Government of Pakistan has created a new Biodiversity Directorate in 2005 and the process of preparation of the Third Report has created new awareness to address the issue of setting global targets. Some targets that overlap with the MDGs like the establishment of protected areas (12 % of the total area) have been achieved... More »

Initiatives in Access and Benefit Sharing

The draft Access and Benefit Sharing Law has been circulated to all stakeholders and the comments are being received. Prior Informed Consent (PIC), Material Transfer Agreement (MAT) and Mutually Agreed Terms (MTA) shall be part of the legislation.

Initiatives for Article 8(j)

A three-year project has been initiated by the Pakistan Museum of Natural History (PMNH) entitled “Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge about Medicinal Plants of Pakistan,” has now entered its final year. This project undertook field studies to determine the status, trends and threats related to the knowledge, innovations and practices of medicinal plants used by indigenous and local communities... More »

National Contacts

Full details of national contacts »

Convention on Biological Diversity

Mr. Naeem Ashraf Raja	CBD Primary NFP, SBSTTA NFP, GTI NFP, GSPC NFP
Mr. Abdul Munaf Qaimkhani	CBD Secondary NFP, Protected Areas NFP
Dr. Shahzad Jehangir	CHM NFP
Mr. Syed Mahmood Nasir	ICNP ABS NFP
Mr. Umeed Khalid	Protected Areas NFP

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

Mr. Syed Mahmood Nasir

Cartagena Protocol Primary NFP, BCH NFP