The district administration of Islamabad has banned smoking, BBQ and bonfires, burning or fires, and any action leading to a forest fire at the Margalla Hills National Park.
According to a notification issued by the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, the following activities have been banned at the park given the rising concerns of environmental pollution and loss of habitat.
- Smoking
- BBQ/bonfires
- burning of garbage
- carrying flammable items such as matchsticks, lighters, petrol, and kerosene oil
- tree cutting
- polluting water
- littering
- clearing of land/encroachments
The order was imposed on April 6 and will remain in force for two months.
The notification added that people violating the orders will be punished under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. The directives have been published in newspapers for residents and have been sent to police stations as well.
The decision was taken to prevent forest fires in the park. According to a 2018 report, over 300 incidents of forest fires have been reported at the park in the last 17 years damaging forests and adding to air pollution.
