KHOUSHAB:
Once famous for its soils that produced bountiful crops, Soon Valley, located in Tehsil Naushera of Khushab district, is now facing a growing crisis as wild boars increasingly destroy agricultural lands, pushing local farmers towards economic ruin.
Residents say the government’s ban on wild boar hunting, enforced under wildlife protection laws, has seriously affected the region’s agriculture and livelihoods.
Soon Valley farmers say the uncontrolled wild boar population has become their most pressing challenge.
The valley is a major producer of potatoes, wheat and various vegetables.
For local farmers, sowing a crop is not just an agricultural activity but an investment of their savings, as well as hopes related to children’s education and family responsibilities.
According to growers, growing a single acre of potatoes now costs over Rs 200,000, including expenses on seeds, fertilizer, electricity and labor. However, as crops near maturity, herds of wild boar often attack the fields under cover of darkness.
Farmers say the animals cause more damage than consumption, uprooting plants with their powerful snouts and destroying entire fields within hours.
Speaking to Express, political and social personality Mian Salahuddin said the current politics has created a crisis on the ground.
“The ban on wild boar hunting in the name of wildlife protection has effectively tied the hands of farmers,” he said.
“If a farmer kills a wild boar to protect his crop, he faces heavy fines and, in some cases, imprisonment.”
He argued that the law does not reflect the realities of Soon Valley.
“Wild boars are not an endangered species here. Their population has increased rapidly and is now out of control. When controlled hunting was allowed, their numbers remained balanced and they stayed away from farms and settlements.
Today, they are no longer afraid because they know that no one can stop them,” he added.
Farmers say the losses they face are not only financial but also psychological.
Many rely on bank loans or money borrowed from commission agents to finance cultivation. When crops are destroyed, repayment becomes impossible, trapping farmers in debt. As a result, a significant number of farmers have completely stopped their agricultural activity.
Thousands of acres of fertile land now lie uncultivated, with farmers saying it is better to leave the land barren rather than invest and see crops destroyed.
The issue has also raised public safety concerns. Residents report that wild boars are no longer confined to fields and hills but frequently enter roads and residential areas at night.
Several road accidents involving motorcyclists have been reported, resulting in injuries and deaths.
Environmentalists in the region also warn that wild boars are damaging mountain vegetation and destroying the eggs of ground-nesting birds, disrupting the valley’s natural ecological balance.
Soon Valley farmers have made a joint appeal to the provincial government, the Punjab Chief Minister and the Wildlife Department to urgently tackle the problem.
Their main demand is the immediate lifting of the ban on wild boar hunting.
Alternatively, they suggest issuing hunting permits or launching a government population control campaign. Farmers also argue that if the government insists on protecting the animals, it should fully compensate them for crop losses per acre.
“You cannot claim to support agriculture on one side and allow farmers’ livelihoods to be destroyed on the other,” said a local farmer.
“If immediate action is not taken, Soon Valley agriculture will collapse, directly affecting the food supply and national economy.”
Residents are urging policymakers to visit the valley and see the situation for themselves.
“Laws are meant to serve people, not destroy their livelihoods,” said a farmer. “Our plea is simple: let’s live and protect our means of earning money.”
