FOR those who have lived in Islamabad for many years, the Margalla Hills are more than a scenic backdrop. They shape the city’s mornings, weather and sense of space. There was a time when birdsong arrived before the traffic, rhesus macaques were common near roads leading to the hills and Rawal Lake came alive each winter with migratory birds. The hills still dominate the skyline and the lake still reflects the evening light, but the natural life around them seems thinner. More buildings, heavier traffic and growing pressure on surrounding land have altered the landscape in ways that are obvious to some and quietly felt by those who remember it differently. Memory is not scientific evidence, but it notices absence. It cannot measure how many birds have disappeared or how much habitat has been lost, yet it recognises when familiar sounds fade and wildlife becomes less visible. Islamabad’s experience reflects a much larger national challenge.

Across Pakistan, natural habitats are shrinking under the pressure of expanding cities, roads, housing schemes and commercial development. Forests are cleared for timber, fuel and agriculture. Wetlands are polluted with sewage, plastics and industrial waste. Rivers are altered or contaminated, while birds and wild animals continue to be trapped for trade, private collections and entertainment. Climate change intensifies........

© Pakistan Observer