Wildlife complex demolition sparks legal action

Wildlife dept says operation caused destruction to conservation facilities

ABBOTTABAD:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department has initiated legal action against officials of Tehsil Municipal Administration Abbottabad, including senior officer Abid Khan, TOR, over alleged unauthorised vandalism and dismantling of infrastructure at the Shimla Hill Wildlife Complex recreational facility in Abbottabad.

According to official sources, TMA officials carried out a demolition operation inside the premises of the wildlife complex under the guise of a so-called anti-encroachment drive. During the operation, several structures and facilities developed by the Wildlife Department for public recreation and conservation purposes were dismantled, which caused heavy damage to the infrastructure.

The Wildlife Department subsequently registered proceedings against the concerned officials under relevant provisions of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department administered KP Wildlife and Biodiversity Act, 2015. Sources confirmed that the court of Civil Judge-VI Abbottabad has also issued arrest warrants against officials of TMA Abbottabad in connection with the incident.

The alleged action by TMA drew strong criticism from civil society, residents of Abbottabad, and environmental activists, who termed the demolition an attack on one of the city's few remaining green recreational spaces. The initiatives undertaken by the Wildlife Department at Shimla Hill had received widespread appreciation from the general public as well as from the district administration for promoting eco-tourism, wildlife awareness, and family recreation in the city.

Sources said that Abbottabad Deputy Commissioner immediately intervened after the incident and directed the TMA Abbottabad to return all dismantled material to the Wildlife Department and ensure reinstallation of the removed infrastructure.

It is pertinent to mention that the Peshawar High Court Abbottabad Bench had earlier ruled that Shimla Hill should be managed as a protected area. Under the judgment, the authority to manage protected areas rests solely with the Wildlife Department under the provisions of the K-P Wildlife and Biodiversity Act, 2015, and the Rules of Business, 1985.

Environmental circles have expressed concern that increasing commercial activities and unchecked development at Shimla Hill could compromise the ecological and scenic beauty of what is considered the last major green belt within Abbottabad city.