ISLAMABAD: After the Capital Development Authority (CDA) took over information centres at Trail 5 and Trail 6, the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board held a small protest at Trail 5 against the high-handedness of the CDA, saying the board used these centres to raise awareness about the preservation of wildlife.

The CDA, on the other hand, said the civic agency along with its partners built these facilities in June 2014 to put out any possible forest fires in the Margalla Hills during the summer season.

As protest gathered to ‘save’ Margalla Hills on Sunday, the IWMB chairperson sought support to take a stand for the preservation of Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) and the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB). The volunteers gathered at Trail 5 carried placards with slogans: ‘No More Zoo’, ‘Stand Tall for Nature’, and ‘Save Margalla Hills for Future Generations’.

Last week, IWMB Chairperson Rina Saeed Khan said that the CDA had thrown out furniture and other stuff from the visitor information centers on trails 5 and 6 without any prior notice or warning.

“They have locked us out of the centers we used to raise awareness,” she said, adding Trail 6 was part of the leopard preserve zone from which the IWMB did guided tours.

“We have been maintaining these buildings and staff used some rooms for accommodation. The purpose of accommodating our staff on standby is to respond to any emergency situations and to secure our offices,” she had said.

According to the Forest Division of the CDA’s Environment Directorate, these information centre were set up by the CDA and its partners ‘Premier Oil’ and Himalayan Wildlife Foundation 12 years ago in June 2014.

Para 6 of the MoU empowered the CDA to take over the facility after completion of the project and Para 11 empowered the CDA chairman to decide any dispute between signatories of the MoU.

The CDA claimed that the takeover of the information centers was necessary to control wildfires through the deployment of staff at these strategic stations. It claimed that fighting fires was solely done by CDA.

In light of this tug-of-war between the CDA and the IWMB, the latter requested the Supreme Court to order the federal government and the CDA to take meaningful steps for the protection, preservation, conservation and management of wildlife as well as the preservation, conservation and management of the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP).

It sought directions from the court for the CDA to immediately vacate the information centres and also restrain the civic agency from seizing the animal sanctuary maintained by the board in the foothills of the Margalla Hills.

As Capital Development Authority prepared documentation to respond to the court case, it maintained that the civic body aimed to reopen the zoo after taking over its administrative control from the IWMB and extend educational and recreational opportunities to families, students, and nature enthusiasts.

Three years ago, the Islamabad High Court mandated the closure of Marghzar Zoo due to the cruel treatment meted out to the caged animals. The zoo’s prime attractions, Kaavan, the world’s loneliest elephant and the two brown bears had to be sent to sanctuaries in Sri Lanka and Jordan, for a better life.

In light of the court orders, the IWMB converted the zoo into a space for rescued and injured animals, hoping to build a wildlife centre for the rehabilitation of rescued animals and education purposes.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2024