Encroachments Pose Severe Threat To Margalla Hills, Senate Body Told

Islamabad: The Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) is facing serious threats due to rising encroachments within the protected area. The encroachments’ case is under trial at the Islamabad High Court, informed Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) Chairperson Rina Saeed Khan.

While briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change, Rina Khan added that the Monal and La Montana restaurants’ status remained illegal because they are only allowed to set up a food stall.

The members of the Senate body visited Trail-5 of the national park under the leadership of Committee Chairperson Senator Seemme Ezdi to mark World Wildlife Day and observe the biodiversity conservation efforts made by the IWMB.

IWMB Chairperson said that IWMB penalised persons through the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the district government since it lacked the legal authority to punish poachers and other offenders.

“IWMB inspectors have fined poachers a total of Rs 140 000 over the last six months. Throughout the past six months, there hasn’t been any poaching in Margalla Hills National Park,” she continued. The monkey show is banned in the federal capital that provided protection to monkeys and the bear show has also reduced, Khan added.

Rina Saeed informed that a fine of over Rs 0.2 million was imposed in a year for illegal cutting of wood within the national park, whereas a team of IWMB was ensuring full patrolling in the protected area.

The Board chair urged the committee that the IWMB should be legally empowered to allow the Wildlife Management Board officials to fine for violations.

Saeed informed that the board had forty staff members who were making efforts to ensure no littering on the trails and conserve wildlife. The Trail-5 is surrounded by dense forest, adding, “We are monitoring everything in the national park that helps stop deforestation, whereas action is being taken against illegal tree cutters, along with a special monitoring being done towards Rawal Lake and Shakarpariyan.”

The Committee was made aware of the beginning of the forest fire season and the IWMB’s extinguisher shortage. As the heat wave began in March of last year, there were numerous instances of forest fires. The IWMB team, the CDA, and the provincial governments all reacted quickly to the forest fire, said Khan.

Senator Seemee Ezdi told that the Committee also visited the Trail-6, a protected area that was likewise rich in nature and wildlife. “The daytime is when the animals sleep. The animals won’t disturb you if you don’t bother them. People are asked not to use the paths after dusk,” she added.

IWMB Chairperson said that in 2015, the country’s national animal, the markhor, is also listed as an endangered species. She emphasised that it is important to maintain biodiversity and that foreigners should be prohibited from travelling to shoot wild goats.

Senator Mohammad Humayun Mohmand stated that the IWMB should file a petition in the Supreme Court to ban keeping dangerous animals in the house. He wondered whether the leopard that came to DHA was a pet or not.

Rina Khan informed him that the leopard in the DHA case was not a pet but a wild animal. The DHA’s leopard was healthy and has been released into the wild, whereas the residents of the society had fired 35 shots at the leopard, officials said. APP