The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approved an important project in the upcoming provincial budget aimed at the conservation and breeding of the rare yak species in the country. Under the plan, the province’s first yak research station will be established in the high-altitude Broghil area near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

According to budget documents, the yak research station will be built on 100 kanals of land and the project will be completed in three years. In the first phase, Rs 300 million will be spent over one year.

The documents state that initially 50 yaks will be kept at the research station, where their breeding, research, and conservation will be carried out. Officials say the project will play a key role in protecting the increasingly rare yak population.

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Budget documents further reveal that the total yak population in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has declined to just 1,923, making special conservation measures necessary. The documents also note that the price of a single yak ranges between Rs 350,000 and Rs 400,000.

The government says the project will not only help preserve the species but also create new employment opportunities for local communities. Yak-derived products such as meat, milk, leather, and hair are expected to strengthen the local economy, while also promoting research and economic activity in the region.