The government has removed independent members from the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and replaced them with senior government officials. This decision has raised concerns about the board’s independence and effectiveness.
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination announced the changes through an official notification issued on Friday. The new board includes high-ranking bureaucrats such as the ministry’s secretary, the joint secretary for administration and development, the environment member of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), a senior officer appointed by Islamabad’s mayor, and the deputy commissioner of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).
Aisha Humera Chaudhry, an additional secretary at the ministry, has been appointed as the interim chairperson until a permanent structure for the board is finalized.
Former IWMB chairperson Rina Saeed Khan has strongly opposed the decision, calling it a violation of a Supreme Court ruling that ensured the board’s independence from government control. She referred to this move as “regulatory capture” and expressed concerns that bureaucratic control could undermine the board’s conservation efforts.
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The IWMB had already been under pressure due to its enforcement of a Supreme Court order to demolish Monal Restaurant, which was built illegally inside the Margalla Hills National Park. The board justified the demolition, citing conservation laws.
Adding to the controversy, the new board was instructed to halt all rehabilitation activities in Margalla Hills. This decision has raised fears that environmental conservation efforts in the area may be at risk due to increased government control.
This move by the government has sparked debates about the future of wildlife protection in Islamabad and whether bureaucratic control will weaken the enforcement of conservation laws. Environmental activists and conservationists are closely watching how this shift in leadership will impact the preservation of Margalla Hills National Park.
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