In a surprising development, the government of Pakistan has dissolved the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and replaced its independent members with bureaucrats, sparking concerns about the future of conservation efforts in Islamabad’s Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP).
The dissolution of the IWMB follows the implementation of the Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act which has restructured the board under governmental control.
This move comes in the wake of a long-standing dispute between civil society activists, environmentalists, and the government, with the former IWMB at the center of recent high-profile legal and conservation battles.
The New IWMB — Who’s who?
The new board, established under the Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act, 2024, is composed primarily of government officials. These include the Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change, the Joint Secretary (Admin & Development) of the ministry, the Member Environment of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), a senior officer (BS-20 or above) appointed by the Mayor of Islamabad and the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).
The new board’s interim chairperson is Aisha Humera Chaudhry, an additional secretary at the Ministry of Climate Change, who will lead the board until the non-ex-officio members are appointed.
Muhammad Saleem, Ministry of Climate Change spokesperson, defended the move, claiming that the previous IWMB had failed to submit a comprehensive Margalla Hills Management Plan. He emphasized the new board’s mandate to address pressing environmental issues such as forest fires, human-wildlife conflicts, and community engagement. Saleem also highlighted the ministry’s ongoing efforts to launch an initiative under the “Upscaling Green Pakistan” program, which aims to enhance biodiversity conservation in the park.
IWMB staff dismissal — Reform or Risk to Conservation efforts?
The government’s restructuring of the IWMB has raised alarm bells among environmental advocates, particularly those involved in protecting the Margalla Hills, one of Islamabad’s key green spaces.
Former IWMB Chairperson, Rina Saeed Khan, addressed a press conference alongside Supreme Court lawyer Umer Ijaz Gillani, civil society activist Nilofer Afridi, and volunteer Mansoor Sherwani, voicing strong opposition to the government’s decision.
At the heart of their concerns is the issue of the de-notification of the existing board members on October 7, 2025. The move to replace independent experts with government bureaucrats, they argue, undermines the purpose of the newly enacted law, which was meant to strengthen the IWMB by providing it with more autonomy.
“This is a violation of the Supreme Court order. The wildlife board was always meant to be an autonomous body, independent from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the government,” Khan said. “Now the government has created a board chaired by the secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change herself. The institution has been taken over by bureaucrats. This is regulatory capture.”
Rina Saeed Khan went on to say that “There is a real fear on the part of civil society that the new Board will be used rubber stamp all the planned development inside the protected Margalla Hills National Park area such as cable cars, safari parks and even a move to bring back Monal, according to CDA officials.”
Khan alleged that “The owner of Monal (now dismantled) has been paying off local villagers to agitate against “unemployment” and is also encouraging the CDA to allow him yet another lease once the current [IWMB] Board is removed. Again, this is completely against Supreme Court orders,” Khan stated.
This is against Supreme Court orders, she said, as the orders clearly state that: “Constructing a restaurant in a designated national park is a clear violation of the (Wildlife) Ordinance. Unrestricted construction and commercial activities within a national park also denigrates its protected status”.
Legal Battles and Environmental Backlash
The conflict between the government and the IWMB escalated after the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s landmark decision in 2024, ordering the demolition of the Monal Restaurant within the protected boundaries of the Margalla Hills National Park. The IWMB, under Khan’s leadership, oversaw the demolition of illegal eateries like Monal, La Montana, and Gloria Jean’s, all of which had been operating without proper legal authorization.
Read more: Monal Restaurant shuts down following Supreme Court order to safeguard national park
In response to the court’s decision, the Climate Change Ministry issued a notification removing Khan from her post and transferred the IWMB under the administrative control of the Interior Ministry. This move was heavily criticized, particularly when it was revealed that Cabinet Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal, whose brother owned Monal Restaurant, was involved in issuing the notification. Critics described this as a conflict of interest.
Despite challenges, the IWMB had launched efforts to restore 80 kanals of land recovered from illegal eateries. However, the government’s latest restructuring has cast doubt on the future of these efforts. Khan expressed concern over the ongoing destruction of Islamabad’s green spaces, stating that developers with vested interests are determined to resume commercial activities within the protected park.
Read more: IWMB to begin restoration of iconic ridge in Margalla Hills National Park
Concerns over conservation efforts in Margalla Hills National Park
Despite these assurances, critics fear that the new, bureaucratically-led board will prioritize development over conservation. Former Chairperson Khan and legal experts argue that the formation of the new board is a violation of the Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act, which mandates a diverse board that includes experts from the private sector with a background in environmental conservation.
Advocate Umer Gillani, who is actively involved in the legal battles surrounding the IWMB, pointed out that under the Act, the new board should consist of nine members, including private sector experts with environmental backgrounds. However, the government has instead replaced it with five government officials, he said, asserting that it goes against the spirit of the new legislation aimed at enhancing the autonomy of the board.
“What was the urgency [of dissolving the board]?” he asked, adding that the new board is legally questionable, as he vowed to challenge its formation in court.
Meanwhile, Rina Khan stated that while the IWMB under her leadership was not indispensable, “If the government wanted to form a new board, it should have appointed people with a background in the environment who were at least committed to protecting the environment.”
WWF Pakistan has also raised concerns over the recent appointment of ex-officio government members to IWMB, stating it violates the Supreme Court’s directive for the Board’s independence. WWF warns this move threatens critical conservation efforts in Margalla Hills National Park, including rewilding and rehabilitation initiatives. The wildlife organization urged the inclusion of independent experts and civil society members, as outlined in the law, to ensure effective decision-making and prioritize environmental protection.
With conservation efforts under threat and growing tensions between environmentalists and the government, the future of Islamabad’s green spaces remains uncertain. Citizens and environmental groups are closely watching how the new board will manage the delicate balance between development and conservation in the Margalla Hills.