Hiking, picnic in Margala Hills banned, tracks closed

The Islamabad Wildlife Board (IWB) Friday imposed a ban on hiking and picnic in the Margala Hills and the National Park.

According to 24NewsHD TV Channel, the board had closed all the tracks in the Margala Hills National Park too.

The board had taken such a decision to investigate properly the issue of a heavy fire erupted in the forest of the Margala Hills and the National Park again and again.

The IWB officials had closed the hiking, picnic, and tracks for the general public to probe into the matter thoroughly as they wanted to get proper answers about the involved persons in the fire at Margala Hills.

The IWB officials also announced that legal action would be taken against everyone who would try to violate the rules in Margala Hills National Park.

The Fire again erupted at trail no 3 of the Margalla Hills National Park on Friday morning and was fast spreading to the surrounding localities while the firefighters were making efforts to douse it.

Islamabad Wildlife Board says so far six acres of the forest have been affected by the fire.

Wildlife Board Manager Sakhawat told the media that fires destroyed all fresh vegetation in the forests. “Insects and birds have been badly affected by the fire since this is their breeding season,” he explained.

He further said fires were deliberately lit at Margalla Hills and it was the Islamabad Wildlife Board’s desire to overcome this problem with the support of locals.

Reporter Awais Kiyani