ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Wednesday directed Islamabad’s civic authority to immediately stop the construction of a road from Shah Allah Ditta that cuts across the Margalla Hills National Park and links the capital with Haripur.

The directions came during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change. Rina Saeed Khan, who is the chairperson of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB), informed the committee that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had started the project without the environmental impact assessment (EIA). The CDA had sent heavy machinery into the park, which was cutting into the hills inside the protected area.

Talking to Dawn later, Rina Saeed Khan also quoted the Islamabad High Court orders, restricting any development work inside the conservation area. “CDA is building the road to benefit real estate in the area and not to facilitate local communities and visitors. All construction inside MHNP has to be first approved by IWMB,” she said.

The committee also expressed concerns about the encroachment on the national park Land to build a golf course. She informed the members about the ongoing demarcation of the National Park Boundary. Ms Khan said that 138 acres of land had purportedly been allocated by the CDA for the golf course construction, seen as an encroachment upon the Margalla National Park Land.

IWMB says project started without EIA, aims to benefit real estate

Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman emphasised the need for a clear demarcation of the National Park Boundary to prevent further encroachments. She also shared her efforts to address the construction of a road through the national park, having contacted relevant authorities to halt the unauthorised activity.

IWMB officials noted that road construction was still ongoing based on their information. The committee made a recommendation to immediately stop unlawful construction.

In their response, CDA officials argued that work inside the national park had started on an existing road. In response to the concerns over the golf course, the CDA officials maintained that the 138-acre was part of Chauntra village, not the national park – an assertion contradicted by IWMB officials. A comprehensive update was furnished to the committee regarding the news of a golf course construction within Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) near Sinyari village.

‘National Adaptation Plan’

During the meeting, the committee members were provided with an insightful briefing by ministry officials regarding Pakistan’s holistic strategy for addressing climate change.

The officials expounded on the intricacies of the “National Adaptation Plan” (NAP), a comprehensively crafted blueprint resulting from extensive consultations at both federal and provincial levels.

According to ministry officials, the NAP stood as a visionary pathway, aimed at bolstering Pakistan’s resilience to climate challenges and fostering robust communities. NAP sought to galvanise financial resources and establish a global fund pipeline. It centred on the formulation of adaptive strategies and the delineation of sectoral priorities.

The plan encompassed a multitude of crucial facets, including Disaster Risk Management, the National Clean Air Policy, the expansion of Green Pakistan, directives on the National Hazardous Waste Policy, regulations addressing Single Use Plastic, the 2023 Climate Change Gender Action Plan (CCGAP), and more.

The briefing was informed that NAP also unveiled a spectrum of transformative initiatives, such as the Living Indus Initiative, Recharge Pakistan, Scaling Up of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) Risk Reduction (GLOF-II), RED++ Readiness Initiative, Pakistan Blue Carbon Ecosystems, and Snow Leopard Conservation.

Furthermore, the ministry officials briefed the committee on the preparations for the upcoming COP-28, set to convene in the UAE.

They emphasised Pakistan’s focal points during COP-28, including Global Financial Architecture Reforms, an expanded scope for grant-based global financing, leveraging the Loss and Damage Fund, doubling adaptation finance, accelerating the commitment of providing $100 billion annually for climate initiatives, ensuring access to the Just Energy Transition Work Programme, and the establishment and funding of early warning systems and risk reduction mechanisms for highly vulnerable countries. The committee appreciated the ministry officials for their effective advocacy on Pakistan’s behalf on the international stage.

On the consideration of the point of public importance regarding the flood mitigation measures in Pakistan raised by Senator Rubina Khalid, the committee decided to summon provincial forest departments and the federal flood commission for the next meeting.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2023