Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD,:The Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB), an autonomous body, has been restructured under the newly revised law, “The Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act, 2024,” which was passed on 27th August 2024.
This revision supersedes the previous law established under the Islamabad Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management) Ordinance of 1979 and the Islamabad Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management) Rules 1983, the media spokesperson of the Climate Ministry Muhammad Saleem said on Monday.
Spelling out details regarding formation of new board of members, the ministry’s media spokesperson told APP that as a part of the reconstitution process, the Ministry of Law and Justice Division was consulted on the legal status of the previous IWMB, which, according to their response, had become defunct following the revision of the law. Consequently, the Federal Government was required to appoint new members under the revised Act “The Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act, 2024”.
The Cabinet has approved the reconstitution of the IWMB, with key decisions taken on 7th February 2025 with the following members as ex-officio members of the new board, comprising Secretary, Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC); Joint Secretary (Admin & Development), MoCC&EC; Member Environment of the Capital Development Authority; An officer not below the rank of BS-20 appointed by the Mayor of Islamabad Head of Municipal Corporation of ICT; Deputy Commissioner of ICT.
He said that applications for filling the post of non-ex-officio members, applications have been solicited through public advertisement published in national newspapers.
As far as appointment of new chairperson of the new board is concerned, the Secretary of MoCC&EC will serve as the Chairperson of IWMB until the appointment of non-ex-officio members, the ministry official added.
The climate change and environmental coordination ministry’s media spokesperson remarked that the ministry has consistently supported the previous IWMB Board in implementing court orders and in efforts to conserve biodiversity, particularly in the Margallah Hill National Park (MHNP).
Non-ex-officio members of the former Board are expected to provide valuable insight and support for the ongoing conservation efforts in the park.
However, it is crucial to note that the former Board does not have a mandate to independently manage activities related to MHNP, according to the media spokesperson.
He said the climate change and environmental coordination ministry made numerous requests to the former IWMB for submitting a comprehensive Margallah Hills Management Plan but failed to deliver on it.
The new IWMB has been entrusted to develop and implement effective strategies for the conservation of MHNP’s biodiversity with major focus on reducing forest fires, managing human-wildlife conflicts and creating livelihood opportunities for the native communities surrounding the park, according to the ministry’s press statement.
He also revealed in the press statement that the MoCC&EC has initiated a dedicated proposal under the “Upscaling Green Pakistan” initiative, aimed at enhancing the overall biodiversity conservation efforts in MHNP. This initiative calls for the support and active contribution of all stakeholders, including civil society, media, experts and former Board members to ensure the protection and preservation of the park’s biodiversity and ecosystem, the ministry official said in the press statement.
The new Islamabad Wildlife Management Board looks forward to working collaboratively with all partners to protect and maintain the ecological beauty of Margallah Hills National Park and foster sustainable practices for the benefit of future generations.
