Retiree Transforms Parched Mountain into Verdant Forest

News Desk

Chitral: In the beautiful Ayun Valley of Chitral, an unusual but fascinating story was unearthed recently where a retired army individual, along with his friend, transformed a barren mountain into a lush green forest.

Ziaur Rehman, a retired individual from the Bardawish area, embarked on an extraordinary mission to breathe life into this desolate mountain covering vast acres of land. For four consecutive years, Rehman toiled tirelessly, ultimately achieving this remarkable feat.

According to Iron Man, the purpose behind transforming this barren mountain into a forest was to adorn it with a lush green cover. He planted numerous plants and trees, including about 700 pomegranate trees and dozens of walnut, apricot, pistachio, grape, and other fruit trees. Similarly, many flower plants were also planted on this hill.

After four years of continuous hard work, dedication and commitment, Rehman finally succeeded in transforming a barren mountain into a lush green valley.

Retiree planted plants but to make them successful, he planted the trees on a distant mountain by using the spring water channel located next to the area. In this work, Haji Mehboob, the well-known personality of Ayun Valley, also cooperated with him.

There are colourful flowers that captivate the hearts of tourists, said Ziaur Rehman, while narrating his story, adding that by bringing water here and these large numbers of plants, Haji Mehboob Azam also contributed a lot to his plantation drives.

He told that the area previously had a rough canal in which the water could not reach its destination. It would take several hours, and often this water would be absorbed by the plants along the way, and it would have dried up before reaching the plants he planted. But with the help of the Water Management Department, a well was constructed here and now the water reaches the last corner in a few minutes.

It is said that this is the reason why the name of this place has been given as Ayun View Point. The entire Ayun can be seen from here and when local people or tourists once reach the place, it gives a beautiful local experience; and many of them, like the old, are even surprised to see the forest.

Ayun View Point also provides a separate seating area where visitors can enjoy the environment, complemented by water fountains and rich vegetation. Even more wonderful cherries, mulberries, and other seasonal fruits are served to guests, giving them a truly memorable sensory experience.

Haji Mehboob Azam draws attention to ongoing initiatives, such as the building of a mosque and an international-standard Darul Uloom (religious school) in the Bardawish area.

Haji Azam requests that the local, provincial, and federal governments, as well as the relevant non-governmental organisations (NGOs), give top priority to building a paved road to Ayun View Point and providing necessary amenities to increase the region’s tourism potential.

Despite the extraordinary transformation they’ve managed to achieve over four years of unrelenting work, Ziaur Rehman and his colleagues regrettably haven’t received governmental support for their noble initiative.