Call to action
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JANE Goodall graces this world no more. Her seminal research revolutionised primatology by revealing that chimpanzees use tools, are omnivorous, have complex social structures with strong emotional bonds, and engage in organised warfare. These findings challenged the belief that tool-making and complex emotions were uniquely human, demonstrating a greater shared heritage between humans and chimpanzees and reshaping our understanding of our place in the natural world.
Her research is a reflection of what Quranic ayat highlight, that animals, like humans, are communities created by Allah, with a role in the Earth and a purpose for their existence.
We are experiencing so many anomalies in weather patterns that even the dullest of minds must admit that climate change is real. Huge hailstones in May, cloudbursts in August, intense heatwaves, smog and fog. The hardships of such shifting weather patterns are borne most by those economically least equipped to deal with them. Our flora and fauna suffer acutely as well. Scientists have confirmed that Planet Earth is now entering a new reality, with coral reefs reaching the point of no return. The death of these coral reefs will mark the death of the ocean ecosystem.
None of that seems to bother members of Pakistan’s elite, however. Official statements supporting climate adaptation, pleading for disaster relief, and protecting the environment are simply rhetoric. The actions belie the words. What is truly disheartening is how victories for our planet and environment are always at risk from dastardly minds.
Victories for our planet are always at risk from dastardly minds.
Take for example the recent FIR lodged against the ex-chairperson of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, Rina Saeed Khan. In previous opinion pieces, I had shared some of the valuable contributions to protecting animals and the environment that IWMB had been responsible for, in the recent past. This included shutting down the Margalla Zoo and turning it into a place for protecting wildlife species such as rescued bears and tigers. The fact that the High Court of Sindh has directed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and other responsible bodies to shift the brown bear, Rano, from the Karachi Zoo to the IWMB Bear Sanctuary is a case in point of its legitimacy and success.
This success, unfortunately, comes at a price. Last year, as per a Supreme Court judgement of 2023, Monal and other restaurants in the Margalla Hills were closed down and destroyed, so as to protect the environment that they had encroached upon. Saving this wildlife corridor has far reaching consequences. For one, it allows for regrowth, greening, and an ecosystem being able to repair itself. This in turn cleans the air, helps us regular folks breathe better, and protects us from those unbearably intense heatwaves that are becoming more regular. All in all, a fabulous outcome for humans and our planet.
Well, not quite. Someone is losing out on millions of rupees from the closure. Not only are they losing out, they have also been made to realise that the Margalla Hills are not their personal fiefdoms. And all this at the hands of a woman. Ouch. That must hurt the ego tremendously. But how to retaliate against someone who has not received any salary or emoluments from their role as chairperson. This must come as a shock to those for whom money is the new god. So, they decide to go about creating false accusations of ‘corruption’ and manage to register an FIR. Does anyone know how difficult it is for a normal citizen to register an FIR? The entire situation would be ludicrous if it wasn’t so distur-bing.
Fortunately, Rina Saeed refuses to allow her name and reputation as a committed environmentalist to be destroyed by hostile elements. She is also supported by many within civil society who will stand by her against this campaign of intimidation and harassment.
Both the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the World-Wide Fund for Nature have issued strong statements in her favour. I do hope many others take up this call. Simply because, if a person is attacked any time he or she tries to do some good for this country, we will soon have no defenders left. Who then will save the earth, the animals, and eventually, us humans?
But hope lives on. The universe experiences the entirety of our actions, and responds in minutiae to each one. Remember that the next time you begin planning a land grab or intend to hurt another, be it human or animal.
The writer is a development professional and impact adviser with over 25 years of experience designing and managing programmes to improve people’s lives.
Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2025
