Drivers of Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Pakistan: A Review and Gap Analysis

Deforestation and forest degradation pose significant environmental and socio-economic challenges in Pakistan, threatening its limited forest cover. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in Pakistan, examining the complex interplay of governance failures, socioeconomic factors, population dynamics, and land-use changes. The review identifies gaps in the literature, including the need for integrated socio-ecological models, long-term monitoring studies, community-based research approaches, and a better understanding of market dynamics, climate change interactions, illegal logging networks, and gender dimensions. We also need policy research to see how well current conservation strategies, economic incentives, community-based management models, and the use of traditional knowledge are working. If these gaps were filled up, it would be of great assistance in developing more effective strategies to put an end to deforestation and to promote sustainable forest management activities in Pakistan. It is important for this type of research to concentrate on methods that integrate ecological, social, economic, and political perspectives in order to provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors that lead to deforestation and the potential solutions to this problem. Keywords: Forest Cover, Population Growth, Fuel Consumption, Policy Framework, Livelihood Dependence DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/16-2-01 Publication date: July 30th 2025