S Pakistan battles a variety of climate crises, state institutions must do all possible to defend critical ecosystems and habitats that play a key role in maintaining environmental harmony. In this regard, the Federal Constitutional Court`s view that the earlier rulings of the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court against commercial activity in the Margalla Hills National Parl( were `an exceptional transgression of judicial power` is a matter of concern. The SC had ordered several eateries functioning in the park to be demolished. The FCC bench has sent the relevant petitions back to a civil court, while observing that the CDA one of the petitioners had jurisdiction over the MHNP.

It is hoped that this decision does not open the floodgates to commercialisation of a natural asset. Civil society has expressed concern over the intentions of vested interests regarding the Margallas. A few months ago, a former head of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board had claimed that a `nexus of bureaucrats` was working to restart commercial activities in the MHNP. Similarly, citizens have started a petition, which has received hundreds of signatures, highlighting fears that reopening the cases of the demolished restaurants could herald a return of commercial activity in the national park. These concerns cannot be brushed aside. The Margallas are described as `Islamabad`s lungs`, and are home to hundreds of animal and plant species. There is little doubt that mass-level commercialisation will threaten this ecosystem, while adding to the federal capital`s environmental woes as green cover is reduced and replaced by concrete. There is plenty of land to build commercial establishments; national parks and green spaces should be spared further destruction. Also, if the learned courts allow the return of commercial entities to protected spaces such as MHNP, it will set a negative precedent for the rest of the country, resulting in the despoiling of other vulnerable ecosystems.