Massive Citizen Petition Demands Upholding of Margalla Park Restaurant Demolition Order

ISLAMABAD: Approximately 1,500 residents have signed a petition to safeguard the Margalla Hills National Park, fearing that a judicial review of the restaurant demolition case could reopen the door to commercial ventures in this protected area.

The organization, Friends of Margalla Hills National Park, cautioned that revisiting the matter could undermine prior judicial determinations that unequivocally prohibit commercial exploitation of the park. They highlighted that the Islamabad High Court’s 2022 verdict and the Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling established a clear legal doctrine: national parks exist for conservation and biodiversity, not for profit‑driven activities.

Describing the judgments as a landmark in Pakistan’s environmental jurisprudence, the group submitted a public petition urging the authorities to enforce the Supreme Court’s decision of August 21, 2024, without reservation.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court ordered the closure and demolition of several restaurants operating within the park—Monal, La Montana, and Gloria Jeans—and held that these commercial leases contravened the Islamabad Wildlife Ordinance of 1979.

Petitioners are demanding swift implementation of the court’s orders, emphasizing that demolition must be carried out with care to avoid harm to wildlife and damage to the park’s vegetation.

They further advocated for comprehensive restoration of the impacted zones by replanting native trees and vegetation to revive the park’s natural ecosystem. The petition notes that Margalla Hills functions as a critical rainfall catchment, a natural air purifier for Islamabad, and a sanctuary for wildlife.

The group is also calling for an outright ban on any future commercial undertakings in the park’s core zone—such as restaurants, hotels, and housing projects—citing the Supreme Court’s observation that such activities are prohibited in national parks globally.

Additionally, the petition points out that approximately 113 other illicit structures exist within the Margalla Hills area, urging a transparent survey and rigorous enforcement of the law against all violations.

The organization also urged the government to empower the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) by granting it complete administrative control over the park, insulated from political interference, to ensure effective enforcement of conservation statutes.

The petitioners implored the government and relevant agencies to implement the Supreme Court’s decision faithfully and to resist any effort to dilute it through review petitions, stressing that safeguarding the national park is indispensable for environmental health and the well‑being of future generations.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2026

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