During a parliamentary committee meeting held on Tuesday, members were updated on the situation regarding the leopard that caused concern among residents of DHA 2, one of the most expensive housing societies in Islamabad.
Vaqar Zakaria, a member of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB), informed the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change that the leopard was indeed a wild animal that likely originated from the forest cover behind Sihala, where previous sightings had been reported.
Vaqar further elaborated that the IWMB was in discussions with international experts on the best approach to safely releasing the leopard back into its natural habitat.
This update comes amidst discussions over various issues including the recent sighting of the leopard in a residential area, proposals for the Public Sector Development Fund (PSDP) budget, and the Pakistan Environment Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Previously, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police had registered a case against an ‘unknown individual’ for allegedly keeping a leopard captive in the residential area of DHA 2.
In an official statement, ICT Police stated an attack by a leopard on citizens occurred in the DHA Phase II area that falls under the jurisdiction of Police Station Sihala and added that the animal was being kept as a pet by an unidentified person.
