Workers seek licences after restaurant closures

Affected employees accuse IWMB of double standards in enforcing regulations

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ISLAMABAD:

Employees affected by the closure of popular restaurants Monal and La Montana staged a protest on Monday, accusing the Islamabad Wildlife Board of applying double standards in enforcing laws.

The protesters questioned the Wildlife Board Chairperson's decisions, stating, "Why are there separate rules for officers and their families and different ones for public spaces? Our demand is simple: all unemployed workers from Monal and La Montana should be granted licenses to open kiosks on the adjacent land. If this legitimate demand is ignored, we will hold a sit-in outside Islamabad Club until the laws are uniformly applied."

The demonstrators criticised the closure of Monal and La Montana as discriminatory, claiming that these restaurants were built with government resources and were unjustly targeted. They pointed out that while Margalla National Park regulations were cited for the closures, numerous other commercial establishments, including the Islamabad Club, Riding Club, Polo Club, Gun Club, and restaurants in Shah-Allah Ditta, Shakarparian, Club Road, and Saidpur, continue to operate unhindered.

The protesters alleged that only two out of 113 commercial centres in the Margalla National Park were shut down, calling it an act of "personal enmity." They also highlighted that following the demolitions, a large restaurant in Daman-e-Koh was granted a license, questioning the consistency of the Wildlife Board's actions.

The protesters also criticised the Wildlife Board for failing to engage with the 1,100 employees rendered jobless by the closures. They argued that the closures, which spanned only four acres in a 31,000-acre park, did little to address environmental concerns or benefit wildlife.

The workers ended their protest by reiterating their demands for equal enforcement of laws and support for those affected by the demolitions. They vowed to continue their movement until their demands were met.

Furthermore, they expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of Pir Sohawa Road, citing rising criminal activities, including three murders and several robberies in recent months. "The area has become a hub of criminal activities, with garbage piling up and roads left damaged. Where are the authorities now?" they asked.