Authorities arrest two for 'setting fire' to Marghuzar forest in Swat

Swat: Authorities have arrested two people for allegedly setting fire to a forest in Marghuzar valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Swat district.

According to Deputy Commissioner Junaid Khan, the suspects had intentionally set fire to the forest in Marghuzar three days ago that threatened nearby settlements.

Although unprecedented heat and negligence are the likely causes behind most of the fires, it is now evident a criminal element cannot be sidelined.

According to Anadolu Agency, 14,000 acres of forest cover have been lost during the last three weeks.

In some cases, "fires were set intentionally by the locals in order to benefit from a centuries-old law that permits them to share the ownership of forests with the government", the publication said.

The law allows them to harvest empty land or use it to graze their livestock.

The massive fires, whether set intentionally or having erupted due to natural causes, have broken out in multiple locations over the past month, some of which continued to rage days later.