11th Pakistan Mountain Festival: Nature lovers enjoy hiking at Trail-V despite rain

Islamabad: More than one hundred university students and nature lovers participated in the hiking and clean-up drive at Margalla Hills Trail-V despite inclement weather.

The event was organised by the Development Communications Network (Devcom-Pakistan) and DTN in connection with its ongoing 11th Pakistan Mountain Festival, the annual flagship event to commemorate the UN’s International Mountain Day (IMD) in collaboration with the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWNB), a subordinate organisation of the Ministry of Climate Change, the Gym Club of the Quaid-e-Azam University, CS Adventure Club of the Comsats University Islamabad Campus, GBC Council, Westminster Academy and Rawalpindi Women University.

Before the nature walk and clean-up, the IWMB Assistant Director Sakhawat Ali briefed the participants about the biological diversity and natural heritage of the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP). Sakhawat Ali said Margalla Hills National Park was established in 1980, it is the third-largest national park in the world with an area of 17,386 hectares (42,960 acres). And under the foothills of the Himalayas. Tilla Charouni with a height of 1604m is the tallest peak in the park. The park is rich in biodiversity, especially rich in Sino-Himalayan fauna, most notably grey goral, barking deer, and the Leopard. Combined MHNP is home to around 600 plant species, 402 bird varieties, 38 mammals, and 27 species of reptiles. He said under the new management recently the IWMB has taken many steps for the protection of the Park and visitors. Many cases of woodcutting and forest fires were averted. The renovated IWMB nature education centre is the hub of activities and awareness-raising sessions.

Later, Pakistan’s young rising face of hard-core mountaineering Sirbaz Khan and former deputy mayor of Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation Zeshan Naqvi, Pakistan’s well respected and recognized mountaineer Nazir Sabir were the chief guest at the certificate distribution ceremony.