The Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC), together with the Snow Leopard Foundation (SLF) and the wildlife departments of Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir, has announced the recipients of the Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards 2025 in recognition of their exceptional service.
During the third meeting of the National Committee for the Citizen Ranger Wildlife Protection Program (CRWPP), 21 nominations were meticulously reviewed. From these, seven individuals were chosen for their significant achievements in safeguarding wildlife within Pakistan’s snow leopard habitat. An additional award category has been reserved to honor a community-led conservation initiative.
Award Recipients:
- Snow Leopard Award: Muhammad Ismail, Game Watcher, AJK Wildlife Department
- Musk Deer Award: Mehboob Shah, Game Watcher, AJK Wildlife Department
- Blue Sheep Award: Sher Afgan Ali, Wildlife Officer, Gilgit-Baltistan
- Brown Bear Award: Muhammad Raza, Wildlife Officer, Gilgit-Baltistan
- Wolf Award: Sakhawat Ali, Wildlife Officer, Gilgit-Baltistan
- Ibex Award: Israr Ullah, Deputy Ranger, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Markhor Award: Muhammad Saleem, Wildlife Watcher, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
The award ceremony, to be held later this month by MoCC&EC and SLF, will celebrate these individuals’ tireless efforts.
Dr. Shezra Mansab Kharal, Minister of State for MoCC&EC, praised the honorees:
“These rangers, officers, and community champions are the backbone of our conservation movement. Their bravery and dedication are vital to preserving Pakistan’s biodiversity and combating climate change. We owe them our unwavering support.”
Wildlife Ambassador Sardar Jamal Khan Leghari, SLF Director Dr. Muhammad Ali Nawaz, National Committee Chair Ashiq Ahmad Khan, and DIG Forest Haseena Anbarin also commended the awardees for their behind‑the‑scenes commitment to protecting Pakistan’s natural heritage.
MoCC&EC and SLF reaffirmed their pledge to expand the Citizen Ranger Wildlife Protection Program and deepen conservation awareness nationwide.
