ISLAMABAD:
Environmental leaders, policymakers, conservationists and legal experts have highlighted the urgent need to safeguard one of Pakistan’s most important ecological assets, the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP), while ensuring that environmental laws and land use regulations are effectively implemented.
They were speaking at a webinar organized to discuss the decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan regarding the Margalla Hills National Park and the implications of the review petition pending before the Federal Constitutional Court.
The event, organized by Devcom-Pakistan on Monday, focused on three critical aspects of the Supreme Court’s decision, including protection and conservation of the environment, combating environmental pollution and combating encroachments in the Margalla Hills National Park. Participants noted that this case represents a defining moment for environmental governance in Pakistan and has broader implications for conservation policy and constitutional jurisprudence.
Speakers included former Advisor to the Prime Minister on Environment and Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam Khan, WWF-Pakistan Director General Hammad Naqi Khan, former Pak-EPA Director General and environment expert Asif Shuja Khan, Shakir Toor, Dr Pervez Hassan, Dr Amir Haider, environmental advocacy expert Ali Jabir, Naseer Gilani, former CDA Director General Dr Sarwar Sandhu, Munir Ahmed and others.
Malik Amin Aslam reflected on the significance of the Supreme Court’s decision, which reaffirmed the importance of environmental protection and called for the removal of illegal encroachments and activities that threaten the integrity of the national park.
He also raised concerns over environmental pollution and inadequate management of facilities operating in and around the protected area. He stressed the importance of improving waste management systems and ensuring that commercial activities do not compromise the ecological character of the park.
