Margalla Hills National Parks' Boundary Demarcation Near Completion

ISLAMABAD: The efforts to delineate the boundary of the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) have made substantial headway, with 60% of the work completed.

However, complications have arisen in sections where the boundary intersects with privately owned land that has not yet been acquired.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) convened a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the status of the demarcation process.

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As per the details, the officials shared that those specific areas, including Shah Allah Ditta and Bhara Kahu, are presenting challenges due to the proximity of the national park boundary to un-acquired private land.

The CDA’s Zone III encompasses over 50,000 acres, out of which approximately 30,000 acres fall within the national park’s boundaries, while the remaining 20,000 acres are privately owned.

During the meeting, CDA Member Estate Afnan Alam, who chaired the session, instructed concerned officials to resolve the outstanding issues to expedite the completion of the demarcation.

Moreover, the sources revealed that the demarcation process is expected to conclude in about two more months.

A CDA director disclosed that 60% of the boundary demarcation work has been successfully executed, and the remaining 40% is projected to be finalized within the forthcoming two months.

For the demarcation initiative, two teams composed of Survey of Pakistan officials, members from the revenue department, the environmental wing, and representatives of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) have been actively conducting fieldwork.

The MHNP boundary demarcation was initiated by the CDA in response to directives from the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

In January of the previous year, the IHC mandated the CDA to complete the boundary demarcation process within 60 days.

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Notably, the high court also ruled against the military’s claim over more than 8,000 acres of national parkland and ordered the closure of the Monal Restaurant situated within the park’s premises.

The court also directed the CDA to ensure that any rent collected is deposited into the national exchequer.

Despite these advancements, the ongoing dispute between the CDA and the restaurant operator has seen twists and turns.

Source: DAWN