Climate activists ring alarm bells on emerging threats to Margalla Hills National Park
Climate activists and stakeholders have called for an urgent need to protect one of Pakistan’s most significant natural assets i.e. Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP).
Addressing a webinar organized by the Development Communications Network (Devcom-Pakistan) the speakers underscored the critical importance of implementing the Supreme Court’s directives to eliminate encroachments and rehabilitate the park, while also emphasizing the broader implications for biodiversity and climate change resilience. of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB), Rina Saeed Khan
provided an overview of the current state of Margalla Hills National Park.
She highlighted the IWMB’s continuous efforts to safeguard the park’s ecosystem despite significant challenges. According to Khan, encroachments, illegal construction, and lack of enforcement mechanisms remain persistent issues. She emphasized the need for unwavering government support to ensure the park’s long-term protection and ecological rehabilitation. We have been doing significant interventions over the years in confrontation with the vested interests in the Park that have support from some influential individuals in the government ranks. Now, without due process, the ministry of climate change is going to de-notify the present board.
Chairperson Rina Saeed Khan termed it unfortunate while IWMB was trying to implement the Supreme Court orders influential individuals in the government ranks were creating problems.
“Our only crime is implementing the Supreme Court`s orders regarding Monal`s demolition. The Act was intended to strengthen the board, not weaken it. Certain lobbies are determined to see us fail. The bureaucrats in the Ministry of Climate Change are trying to use a most twisted interpretation of the Wildlife Act. The Act was passed by the parliament for the very opposite purpose: to strengthen the institution of the board, not to weaken it.
Vaqar Zakaria, a board member of the IWMB, expressed deep concern over the government’s apparent lack of prioritization for biodiversity and natural habitats. “While authorities often tout their efforts to combat the impacts of climate change, their actions tell a different story. Biodiversity and natural ecosystems, which are critical for mitigating climate change, are being sacrificed for short-term gains,” he remarked. Zakaria urged the government to respect the Supreme Court’s orders and accelerate the removal of illegal structures and activities within the park.
Speakers at the webinar discussed the growing threats posed by urban encroachments, unregulated tourism, and property development. These activities have not only disrupted the ecological balance of the Margalla Hills but have also endangered the flora and fauna that are integral to the park’s biodiversity.
Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director Munir Ahmed said the federal and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments should take notice of the undue interventions and mushroom growth of the development of environment unfriendly infrastructures on both-sides of the Margalla Hills National Park. He called on the government to cease interference in the ongoing process of implementing the Supreme Court’s directives; to strengthen the mandate and resources of the IWMB to enable effective enforcement of conservation measures. The ministry of climate change shall provide sufficient funds to IWMB to launch public awareness campaigns to highlight the importance of Margalla Hills National Park for Islamabad’s environmental and climatic health. He urged fostering collaboration between federal and local authorities to ensure the sustainable management of the park.
