PTI Agitation: Beekeeping Suffers Setback In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The protest demonstrations and roadblocks instigated by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have negatively impacted on the business of beekeepers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Nov, 2024) The protest demonstrations and roadblocks instigated by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have negatively impacted on the business of beekeepers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The disruption of key transportation routes, particularly the closure of the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway due to PTI agitation, has left many local beekeepers, including those in Nowshera, Charsadda, and Peshawar, stranded and unable to conduct vital activities such as transporting their hives boxes to other areas for bees flora plants for an optimal honey production.

Hussain Khan, a young beekeeper from Nowshera, shared his plight while working on his beehives under the shade of a shisham tree near the Kabul River after he was stranded for the last five days there.

“The PTI protest has badly affected our business. Last Sunday, I was unable to shift my bee colonies to bees flora rich Punjab province due to the motorway closure,” said the 24-year-old, who has been in the beekeeping business since the untimely death of his father from cancer.

For Hussain, the journey into beekeeping started as a way to support his family, including his brother’s household, after the family tragedy. “I started with just 30 bee boxes, and by the grace of Allah, my business grew to 120 boxes within two years. But now, the protests have negatively impacted my hard work,” Khan lamented, estimating a loss of about Rs 100,000 due to the transportation bottleneck.

The situation has been compounded by the unavailability of adequate bee flora in Nowshera, which prompted Hussain's decision to move his colonies to Punjab, a more favorable location. However, the roadblocks have left him unable to make the necessary shift, causing considerable setbacks in honey production.

The uncalled for disruptions caused by PTI's political protests have rippled throughout KP’s beekeeping community.

Sher Zaman, the General Secretary of the All Pakistan Beekeepers Association, called attention to the widespread damage.

“The protests have not only harmed individual beekeepers but also exporters and honey traders. With thousands of beekeepers in KP, this is a significant blow to the local economy,” Zaman remarked.

He estimated that up to 10,000 honey farms are operating in the province, and the losses could push over 100,000 individuals linked to beekeeping into financial distress if the agitation situation was not addressed.

Beekeeping is an important industry in KP, contributing to the province agricultural economy, with Pakistani honey—known for its high quality and low sugar content—seeing consistent demand, particularly from Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Zaman emphasized the urgent need for government intervention, particularly in the form of compensation and interest-free loans to support struggling beekeepers.

Dr. Mumtaz Malik, former Chief Conservator of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department, stressed the importance of preserving wild bee populations, such as the Apis Dorsata (wild bee), which is a key contributor to honey production in the region.

“Wild bees are an essential source of high-quality honey. Their habitat, which typically includes tall trees and buildings in reserved forests, is threatened by climate change and natural disasters like floods besides protest demonstrations,” Dr. Malik explained.

He recommended implementing a strategy to protect wild bee species and suggested issuing identification cards for beekeepers to help them navigate changes in their operational areas due to climate shifts.

Dr. Mumtaz Malik called for strengthening the capacity of beekeepers to respond to these challenges, such as providing training on supporting the cultivation of bee-friendly plants.

Iftikhar Khalil, former Director of Non-Timber Forest Products in KP, pointed out the untapped economic potential of Pakistan’s honey industry and stated that poor policies of PTI has negatively impacted beekeeping industry in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Despite KP's capacity to produce upto 8,000 metric tons of honey annually from approximately 300,000 colonies, he said the impact of the PTI protests on the industry is deeply concerning.

Iftikhar Khalil also emphasized that with proper financial support and mitigation strategies, beekeeping could help alleviate some of the region’s economic struggles.

The experts said that PTI protests have undoubtedly put the beekeeping industry in a precarious position in KP.

For beekeepers like Hussain Khan, whose dreams were built on hard work and resilience, the political agitation is an additional burden they cannot afford.

As the situation unfolds, the call for KP government intervention grows louder, with the potential for economic recovery hinging on timely support for the beekeeping community in KP.

이 블로그의 인기 게시물

Non-contact exposure to dinotefuran disrupts honey bee homing by altering MagR and Cry2 gene expression

Non-contact exposure to dinotefuran disrupts honey bee homing by altering MagR and Cry2 gene expression Dinotefuran is known to negatively affect honeybee ( Apis mellifera ) behavior, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The magnetoreceptor ( MagR , which responds to magnetic fields) and cryptochrome ( Cry2 , which is sensitive to light) genes are considered to play important roles in honey bees’ homing and localization behaviors. Our study found that dinotefuran, even without direct contact, can act like a magnet, significantly altering MagR expression in honeybees. This non-contact exposure reduced the bees’ homing rate. In further experiments, we exposed foragers to light and magnetic fields, the MagR gene responded to magnetic fields only in the presence of light, with Cry 2 playing a key switching role in the magnetic field receptor mechanism ( MagR–Cry2 ). Yeast two-hybrid and BiFc assays confirmed an interactio...

New Report – Interlocked: Midwives and the Climate Crisis

New Report – Interlocked: Midwives and the Climate Crisis Earlier this year, midwives from 41 countries shared their experiences of working in communities affected by climate change through our survey, Midwives’ Experiences and Perspectives on Climate Change. Their voices shaped our new report, Interlocked: Midwives and the Climate Crisis , which highlights how midwives are already responding to the health impacts of climate disasters like floods, wildfires, and extreme heat—and why they must be included in climate action plans. What did we learn?Climate change is damaging community health: 75% of midwives reported that climate change is harming the communities they serve, with rising rates of preterm births, food insecurity, and restricted access to care during disasters like floods. Midwives are critical first responders: Midwives are often the first and only healthcare providers on the ground in crises, delivering care during wildfires, floods, and extreme heat. Midwives face signi...

Bee attack claims life of newspaper distributor

Bee attack claims life of newspaper distributor Newspaper distributor Pushparaja Shetty (45), who sustained severe injuries in a bee attack, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday at a hospital in Mangaluru. Pushparaja was attacked by a swarm of bees on Wednesday morning while walking at Kenjaru Taangadi under Bajpe town panchayat limits. He was immediately admitted to a hospital for treatment but could not survive the ordeal. Fondly known as ‘Boggu’ in the Porkodi area, Pushparaja was well-known for his dedication to delivering newspapers on foot to every household. He was admired for his generosity, as he often distributed sweets to schoolchildren on Independence Day using his own earnings and contributed part of his income to the betterment of society. Pushparaja was unmarried and is survived by three brothers and one sister.

“Global honey crisis”: Testing technology and local sourcing soars amid fraud and tampering concerns

“Global honey crisis”: Testing technology and local sourcing soars amid fraud and tampering concerns The World Beekeeping Awards will not grant a prize for honey next year due to the “inability” to thoroughly test honey for adulteration. The announcement comes amid the rise of honey fraud in the EU, where a 2023 investigation found that 46% of 147 honey samples tested were likely contaminated with low-cost plant syrups. Apimondia, the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations, organizes the event at its Congress, whose 49th edition will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in September 2025. The conference brings together beekeepers, scientists and other stakeholders. “We will celebrate honey in many ways at the Congress, but honey will no longer be a category, and thus, there will be no honey judging in the World Beekeeping Awards. The lessons learned from Canada 2019 and Chile 2023 were that adequate testing was impossible if we are to award winning honey at the Con...

Unveiling the Canopy's Secrets: New Bee Species Discovered in the Pacific

Unveiling the Canopy's Secrets: New Bee Species Discovered in the Pacific In an exciting development for environmentalists and beekeeping experts, researchers have discovered eight new species of masked bees in the Pacific Islands, shining a light on the rich biodiversity hidden within the forest canopy. This discovery underscores the critical role bees play in our ecosystems and the pressing need for conservation efforts to protect these vital pollinators. A New Frontier in Bee Research By exploring the forest canopy, scientists have opened a new frontier in bee research, revealing species that have adapted to life high above the ground. These discoveries are crucial for understanding the complex relationships between bees, flora, and the broader ecosystem. The new species of masked bees, characterized by their striking black bodies with yellow or white highlights, particularly on their faces, rely exclusively on the forest canopy for survival. The Importance of Bee Conservation...

Start the New Year Humming Like a Bee

Start the New Year Humming Like a Bee There are lots of opportunities to be as busy as a bee during these winter holidays. As we hustle toward the dawn of the New Year, it can be hard to notice that the natural world is actually suggesting something different for us right now. We’re past the solstice, but the winter still stretches ahead, the days are still short and the nights long. We’re being invited into a quieter, more inner-focused time. The ancient yogis were all about this inner focus. In India, for example, the Upanishads, the Sanskrit writings that accompanied the development of Hinduism — and alongside it, yoga — beginning around 800 B.C.E., went deeper than earlier texts had into philosophy and questions of being. With the goals of increased inner awareness and higher consciousness, yoga was at that time not yet as focused on the body or on asanas, as it now can tend to be. But the yogis did develop many practices to try to open the way to those goals. They discovered...

The Essential Role of Bees in Our Ecosystem and the Challenges They Face

The Essential Role of Bees in Our Ecosystem and the Challenges They Face Bees have been an integral part of our ecosystem and human agriculture for over four centuries, primarily utilized for their honey in the early days. Now, they are recognized more for their critical role in pollination, which directly impacts a vast majority of the food we consume. Mark Lilly, a prominent beekeeper, emphasizes that without bees' pollination efforts, a significant portion of our diet would be at risk. However, bees face numerous threats, including varroa mites and, in specific regions like West Virginia, black bears. These challenges necessitate concerted efforts for preservation and protection. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q1: Why are bees so important to the ecosystem? A1: Bees are crucial for pollinating plants, which is necessary for the production of fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Without bees, a large portion of the food we eat would not be available. Q2: What are the main threats to...

The Growing Dilemma of Pet Burials in South Korea: Environmental and Legal Hurdles

The Growing Dilemma of Pet Burials in South Korea: Environmental and Legal Hurdles As the number of pets in South Korea steadily increases, pet owners face a growing dilemma due to the limited number of pet cemeteries across the country. Under the current legal framework, pet remains are classified as household waste, requiring specific disposal methods that are neither convenient nor easily accessible for all citizens. The imbalance between the rising pet population—over 5.52 million households with pets by the end of 2022—and the mere 70 registered pet cemeteries has led to significant challenges. This shortage is particularly evident in regions like Jeju Island, where pet owners must undergo arduous journeys to the mainland to ensure their pets receive proper burials. The root cause of this shortage lies in the strict regulations governing the establishment of pet cemeteries. These facilities, which must include crematoriums, face numerous restrictions, such as proximity to resident...

Climate Crisis Claims Glacier's Vital Climate Data Archive

Climate Crisis Claims Glacier's Vital Climate Data Archive A recent study published in Nature Geoscience reveals a distressing consequence of global warming: the irreversible loss of valuable climate data stored in alpine glaciers. The research, conducted by a team led by Margit Schwikowski from the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), underscores the alarming rate at which glaciers are melting and highlights the implications for climate research. The study focuses on the Corbassière glacier at Grand Combin in Switzerland, where ice cores drilled in 2018 and 2020 were intended to serve as vital climate archives. However, comparing the two sets of ice cores reveals a grim reality—global warming has rendered the glacier unsuitable as a reliable climate archive. Glaciers, renowned as climate archives, encapsulate valuable information about past climatic conditions and atmospheric compositions. The fluctuating concentrations of trace substances in ice layers provide insights into historica...

German election: Climate and environment take a back seat

German election: Climate and environment take a back seat When the coalition government comprising the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) , Greens and neoliberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) emerged after the last German federal election in the fall of 2021, then-incoming Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) did not object to being called the "climate chancellor." That was no surprise: the climate crisis had been a top issue during the election campaign. The new government made the fight against climate change a task for the Economy Ministry and appointed Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck from the Greens as its head. Three and a half years later, campaign speeches barely mention climate protection. The dominant issues are how to curb irregular immigration and how to boost Germany's sluggish economy. Skeptical view of renewable energy The head of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) , Friedrich Merz ...

Small actions make a big difference engilsh dkbee.com

이 블로그 검색