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Acknowledgments

The Pakistan National Conservation Strategy Mid-term Review (NCS-MTR) exercise has been primarily funded by CIDA. Through its PEP funding, CIDA supported the overall operational costs of the NCS MTR, four studies, and participation of the external review team leader Dr. Arthur J. Hanson, as well as Dr. Ghulam M. Samdani. The participation of Dr. Stephen Bass at the design stage was supported by the Department for International Development UK (DFID). NORAD also has supported his participation. The World Bank funded the Environmental Strategy Background Report prepared by SDPI. Dr. Aziz Bouzaher from the World Bank, Washington is a member of the external review team. The Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) has funded the participation of Dr. Stephen Bass in the external review mission. UNDP has supported studies on institutional development and resourcing for NCS implementation. All are thanked for their support and cooperation. CIDA is also thanked for providing useful input of Mr. Bruce Goodman of Cowater Canada and Mr. Ian Smillie PEP Performance Advisor who developed the first draft NCS MTR terms of reference.

The NCS MTR team is extremely grateful to all the Secretaries, Additional Secretaries and Joint Secretaries, Director Generals at the federal and provincial level and officials in AJK and the Northern Areas who took time out to meet with the MTR team and provided extensive input to the information collection process. The participation of Section Officers, Research Officers, Technical Officers, and Forest Officers during the public consultation workshops provided for meaningful discussion. Acknowledgments are due for participants of focus group workshops for NGOs and private sector. The non-governmental and private sector bodies providing inputs are thanked for their contributions.

Special gratitude is extended to the four PEP partners who guided the MTR exercise through continued participation. The members of the PEP Steering Committee for the NCS MTR provided all out support and technical backstopping that ensured the timely delivery of MTR targets. The NCS Unit took the lead in the MTR , Mr. Aziz Qureshi of the Environment Section of the Planning and Development Division provided technical support in the development of a database for MTR. SDPI prepared a background paper on Environmental Strategy that is recognized as an important building block for NCS MTR. Acknowledgements are due also to the IUCN offices in Gilgit, Quetta, Peshawar, and Karachi for technical input as well as extensive operational and secretarial support. The IUCN Islamabad office is specially acknowledged for making arrangements for travel and logistics of MTR team at every stage. Special thanks are due to the Manager PEP and Head of IUCN Islamabad, Dr. Asif Ali Zaidi for his conceptual input, technical backstopping and management support to the process.

This opportunity is also taken to extend gratitude to Minister Omar Asghar Khan and the officials of MELGRD. The former Secretary of MELG&RD, Mr. Sikandar Hayat Jamali who took personal interest in the MTR process and made himself available for workshop in Quetta. The present Secretary of MELGRD, Mr. Shafqat Ezdi Shah, has been extremely supportive throughout the process. The former Joint Secretary MELG&RD Mr. Hafeez Ur Rehman played the key role in setting the ball rolling for NCS MTR. The Joint Secretary NCS, Mr. Naseer Ahmed, and the Director General of Pakistan EPA, Mr. Asif Shuja Khan are thanked for guidance and support. Special thanks are extended to Mr. Asad Sibtain, Deputy Secretary NCS Unit MELGRD for facilitating the whole MTR process.

Acknowledgements are due to Hagler Bailly Pakistan, Arshad Zaman Associates, Mr. Haroon Ayub Khan, an independent consultant, Dr. Aamir Matin and Mr. Aqil Shah of UNDP and Mr. Akhtar A. Hai of Karachi University, Tariq Banuri and Shaheen Rafi Khan, for preparing MTR studies.

Throughout the entire effort the NCS, MTR Coordinator Ms. Maheen Zehra performed a difficult task in a remarkable fashion. She deserves the heartfelt thanks of all involved in this review. The ERT members wish to signal our deep appreciation of her capable, hard work and intellectual contributions.

We appreciate the time taken by various individuals and organizations that provided comments on the draft MTR report. While the information gathering and much of the analysis has been a very collective effort, the content of the report is the responsibility of the principal authors.

Arthur J. Hanson (External Review Team Leader)

Stephen Bass

Aziz Bouzaher

Ghulam M. Samdani

ACRONYMS

ACS Additional Chief Secretary

AD Assistant Director

ADP Annual Development Plan

AJK Azad State of Jammu and Kashmir

AKRSP Aga Khan Rural Support Programme

AS Additional Secretary

BCS Balochistan Conservation Strategy

BEPA Balochistan Environmental Protection Agency

CBOs Community Based Organizations

COs Community Organizations

DD Deputy Director

DFA Deputy Finance Advisor

DFID Department for International Development UK

DG Director General

DS Deputy Secretary

EAD Economic Affairs Division

ECNEC Executive Committee of National Economic Council

EIA Environmental Impact Assessment

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

EPD Environment Protection Department

EPRC Environmental Protection and Resource Conservation Project

ERNP Environmental Rehabilitation in NWFP and Punjab Project

ETPI Environmental Technology Programme for Industry (Pakistan Chamber of Commerce)

EU European Union

FA Finance Advisor

FFEJ Frontier Forum for Environmental Journalists

FRC Frontier Resource Centre

FSMP Forestry Sector Master Plan

GEF Global Environment Facility

GM General Manager

GNP Gross National Product

GoB Government of Balochistan

GoNWFP Government of North West Frontier Province

GoS Government of Sindh

GoPunjab Government of Punjab

GoP Government of Pakistan

HDIP Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan

IIED International Institute for Environment and Development

IISD International Institute for Sustainable Development

I&D Irrigation and Drainage Department

IUCN The World Conservation Union

JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency

JS Joint Secretary

KANA Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Division

MACP Mountain Areas Conservancy Project

MRE Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation

MinFAL Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock

MELGRD Ministry of Environment, Local Government and Rural Development

MoELGRD Ministry of Environment, Local Government and Rural Development

MoWD Ministry of Women Development

MTR Mid Term Review

NA Northern Areas

NACS Northern Areas Conservation Strategy

NCS National Conservation Strategy

NCSU National Conservation Strategy Unit

NDP National Drainage Programme

NGO Non-governmental organization

NIO National Institute of Oceanography

NSDP National Sustainable Development Programme (UNDP)

NWFP North West Frontier Province

OGSP Oil and Gas Sector Programme

P&D Planning and Development

PC1 Project Concept 1

PE&DD Planning, Environment and Development Department

PEP Pakistan Environment Programme

PEPA Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency

PEPA An Act to Provide for the Protection, Conservation, Rehabilitation, and Improvement of the Environment, for the Prevention and Control of Pollution, and Promotion of Sustainable Development (Act No. XXIV of 1997)

PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper

PSDP Public Sector Development Plan

SAP Social Action Programme

SD Sustainable Development

SDNP Sustainable Development Networking Programme

SDPI Sustainable Development Policy Institute

SO Section Officer

SPCS Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy

Sungi

TA Technical Advisor

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization

VOs Village Organizations

WWFP World Wide Fund for Nature Pakistan