Three apprehended for ‘igniting forest fires’

Aided by armed forces, firefighters battle the latest blazes on Margalla Hills

ISLAMABAD:

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Friday captured three individuals suspected of being involved in the arson cases relating to Kalinger Valley, Margalla Hills and handed them over to the police for further investigation.

A fresh round of fires broke out in Kalingar Valley this morning just days after the previous ones were put out. The operation to extinguish a fire on Margalla Hills was underway.

According to Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon, the district administration, CDA officials, and the Pakistan Navy were actively engaged in efforts to control the fire. The DC was confident that the fire would be controlled soon, despite challenges posed by strong winds and hot weather.

The three individuals were apprehended at the site of the fire in Kalingar Valley and were later identified. The arrested suspects are facing charges in 15 separate cases. The patrolling on Margalla Hills has been intensified.

According to a private news channel, the arrests were made as part of an ongoing operation to contain and extinguish the blaze in Margalla Hills. The DC, who supervised the firefighting spree, said that the arrested suspects were being interrogated to determine their involvement. “Additionally, cases have been registered against 15 individuals suspected of starting a fire two days ago. More arrests are expected in the coming days as we continue our investigation," he maintained. He urged citizens to help identify those responsible for the fires.

Meanwhile, the CDA spokesperson said that the Director General of Environment was overseeing the operation under the guidance of the authority's Chairman. He said that over 80 firefighters were involved in the operation, with additional teams dispatched to expedite the fire extinguishing efforts. The operation also includes multiple fire brigade vehicles and a Pakistan Navy helicopter, which is assisting in dousing the flames from the air. Joint teams from the District Administration, CDA, and Pakistan Navy are present at the scene, working collaboratively to bring the fire under control.

Prime Minister's Coordinator on Climate Change, Romina Khurshid Alam said that the helicopters of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and the Pakistan Navy team were supporting the civic agencies along with the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) in extinguishing the glaring inferno at Margalla Hills National Park near sector E-9.

Earlier this week, a fire broke out on Saidpur Range Trail 3 and spread towards Noor Pur Range which was extinguished on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, on Monday, three separate fires flared up across the Margalla Hills.

Spread over 12,605 hectares, Margalla Hills witness many fire incidents during summer every year.

Earlier this month, on May 24, the CDA said the wildfire erupted in the scenic Margalla Hills National Park in the late evening hours due to heatwave impact and strong winds that raged the fire in the three kilometres stretch of the Loi Dundee area of the federal capital.

Around 150 personnel from the CDA and the Ministry of Climate Change put out the fire.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2024.