Islamabad, Sep 21: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Forest Department has formally withdrawn a contentious Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding the renovation of the Ayubia Chairlift, which is a significant victory for environmentalists.
This choice was made in response to strong opposition from legal professionals and environmentalists who claimed that the project would breach important environmental regulations and jeopardize Ayubia National Park’s protected status.
Citing non-compliance with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife and Biodiversity Act, 2015, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Ordinance, 2002, Hazrat Mir, Chief Conservator of Forests for the Hazara Division, confirmed the revocation.
Mir characterized the initial Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed by his predecessor Muhammad Yousaf, as “contradictory and directly in violation” of national park legislation, specifically with the preservation of biodiversity and the defense of delicate ecosystems.
Environmental advocates expressed alarm over the MoU’s considerable permissions granted to the Monal Group of Companies to extend and improve the park’s chairlift infrastructure. They claimed that the project would go against Pakistan’s Supreme Court’s rulings on national park administration and endanger the park’s natural ecosystem.
The Galiyat Tahafuz Movement (GTM) Chairman, Sardar Muhammad Sabir, praised the withdrawal, stating that it allays the group’s worries regarding commercial exploitation of protected regions.
He called the verdict a win for conservationists trying to preserve Ayubia’s fragile ecosystem and hailed it for being in line with the Supreme Court’s decision on Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP), which forbids unapproved and detrimental activities.
Reknown for its abundant biodiversity and threatened species, Ayubia National Park is essential to preserving the natural balance of the area. Large-scale tourism infrastructure has been a source of concern for environmentalists who have warned that it may lead to pollution, habitat fragmentation, and permanent harm to the park’s wildlife and plants.
Highway Murree Expressway:
In addition to being a major victory for environmental conservation, the cancellation of the MoU establishes a standard for similar projects in protected regions in the future. It emphasizes how crucial it is to follow the laws that protect national parks from private interests. To reduce ecological harm, all future development in Ayubia National Park must adhere rigorously to environmental regulations.
This ruling highlights how important it is to coordinate regional and local development with global and national conservation guidelines. The preservation of these essential habitats is becoming more and more critical since Pakistan’s natural reserves are under strain from urbanization and tourism.The cancellation makes it very evident to the public and private sectors that protected area integrity cannot be violated in the name of profit.
