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Senate Climate Change Committee visits Margalla Hill to witness on ground situation of recent forest fire

Islamabad, 20th May 2022:- Meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change was held at Marghazar Zoo with Senator Seeme Ezdi in the Chair.

The Committee visited the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and witnessed the working and precautionary measures (fire ball, coordination through wireless sets etc.) deployed by the Board to extinguish fire. Chairperson IWMB Rina Saeed Khan apprised the Committee that the foremost priority of IWMB is the protection and preservation of wildlife and foresting. Ms Khan briefed the committee that for the restoration and preservation of green life the old zoo enclosures were altered to a “Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre” and hired staff comprising of around 60 persons for safety and security purposes. IWMB also informed that the services of the CDA fire brigade are also utilized in case of emergencies. She further briefed the members that fire season lasts from April till June as of right now, seven incidents of fire have occurred so far out of which only two were of serious nature. Rina Khan apprised the committee that the recent incident of a tiktoker named Dolly, who has been alleged of starting fire in the Margalla Hills, actually took place in Hazara Divison and an FIR has also been registered against three persons. Senator Seemee Ezdi showed distress over the incident and stressed that the protection of wildlife and forest is necessary for the survival of mankind and trends of firing the forest for videos must be condemned.

While Deliberating on the importance of forest and wildlife, Senator Seemee Ezdi maintained that the forest are the guarantors of our survival and in order to preserve it, necessary equipment and adequate training be provided to the patrolling officers.

The meeting was attended by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Senator Keshoo Bai, Senator Abida Muhammad Azeem,Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman, Chairperson Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) Rina Saeed Khan, Secretary for Ministry of Climate Change and other senior officers of ministry and IWMB as well.