ISLAMABAD, Wednesday, October 29, 2025 (WNP): The WWF-Pakistan has expressed serious concern over the registration of an FIR against the former Chairperson of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB), terming recent actions aimed at questioning her integrity as “deeply troubling.”

In a statement, the organization emphasized that individuals and institutions working to protect Pakistan’s environment should be supported—not targeted—for fulfilling their legal and conservation mandates.

“Conservation decisions grounded in legal and scientific principles should be respected and upheld, especially when they serve the broader public interest and align with the country’s environmental commitments,” said WWF-Pakistan Director General Hammad Naqi Khan.

“Those acting in good faith to uphold environmental law and safeguard natural ecosystems deserve institutional support and respect, not retribution.”

WWF stressed that the protection of Pakistan’s natural environment and biodiversity must remain above “political, institutional, or personal biases,” calling for due process, impartiality, and transparency in all proceedings related to the case.

The controversy follows the Supreme Court’s June 2024 decision upholding a 2018 Islamabad High Court ruling that declared commercial activity within Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) unlawful. The ruling ordered the demolition of Monal and other restaurants operating in the protected area.

Acting on the court’s directives, the IWMB implemented measures to safeguard the MHNP—an ecologically sensitive zone of national importance. The Board also planned to convert the Monal restaurant site into a public green space, restoring the area’s ecological integrity and creating a sustainable recreational environment for citizens.

Under its former leadership, the IWMB had achieved several milestones, including the establishment of a wildlife rescue center for injured and displaced animals, the opening of new public hiking trails, and the launch of a weekly farmers’ market promoting sustainable local produce.

WWF-Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to supporting both the IWMB and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in ongoing efforts to restore and rewild the Margalla Hills Viewpoint area, emphasizing that environmental governance must remain rooted in law, science, and the public good.