Daily Times

Three individuals were arrested on Friday on suspicion of starting a fire in the Margalla Hills.

According to a private news channel, the arrests were made as part of an ongoing operation to contain and extinguish the blaze in Margalla Hills.

Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, Irfan Nawaz Memon, was on-site to review the fire extinguishing efforts, which involve firefighters and helicopters working tirelessly to control the spread of the fire.

“Precautions have been taken to keep the fire confined and prevent it from reaching residential areas,” DC said.

The DC said that the arrested suspects are currently being interrogated to determine their involvement.

Additionally, cases have been registered against 15 individuals suspected of starting a fire two days ago. “More arrests are expected in the coming days as we continue our investigation,” Memon said.

He urged citizens to help identify those responsible for the fires.

Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Climate Change, Romina Khurshid Alam on Friday said the helicopters of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Pakistan Navy team were supporting the civic agencies along with Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) to extinguish glaring inferno at Margalla Hills National Park near sector E-9.

She said that there was fire at two places on Margalla Hills whereas it was of high intensity spiking up infront of E-9 Hills, a news release said.

The Chairman NDMA was contacted by the PM’s Coordinator whereas a Pakistan Air Force helicopter was dispatched to the affected area to put out the fire, she said.

She added that the team of Pakistan Navy was also participating in the effort to control the fire alongside the team of Islamabad Municipal Corporation involved in the effort to smoother the fire.

The Sixth Aviation Squadron was also requested to send a helicopter, she said, adding, “The Ministry of Climate Change is in touch with all relevant agencies. I am monitoring the situation myself,” Romina Khurshid Alam said.

A second helicopter was also dispatched by Pakistan Air Force to the affected area, she added.

“I am very grateful to NDMA and Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Navy,” the PM’s Coordinator said.

Meanwhile, Speaking to a private news channel, Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad, Irfan Nawaz Memon said that the district administration, CDA officials, and the Pakistan Navy were actively engaged in efforts to control the fire.

The DC was confident that the fire would be controlled soon, despite challenges posed by strong winds and hot weather.

Meanwhile, the CDA spokesperson said that the Director General of Environment was overseeing the operation under the guidance of the authority’s Chairman.

He said that over 80 firefighters were involved in the operation, with additional teams dispatched to expedite the fire extinguishing efforts.

The operation also includes multiple fire brigade vehicles and a Pakistan Navy helicopter, which is assisting in dousing the flames from the air.

Joint teams from the District Administration, CDA, and Pakistan Navy are present at the scene, working collaboratively to bring the fire under control.

The district administration of Dir Lower, in its report on fire eruptions at three separate places of the district, on Friday said that severe fire emergency erupted at Osakai, Badwan, and Ghazo Mountains near Chackdara that necessitated immediate firefighting efforts.

The fire, which started on May 28, quickly escalated beyond human control due to the challenging terrain and weather conditions, prompting the need for aerial firefighting assistance. The District Emergency Officer Dir Lower and Malakand supervised the whole operation.

Upon the outbreak of the fire, the firefighting operations commenced promptly. Given the severity of the situation, the District Administration sought assistance from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) for helicopter support to extinguish the fire.

Around 5:00 a.m. the following morning, a team of 40 rescuers from Dir Lower, along with 30 rescuers from District Malakand were deployed for a fire extinguishing operation. Additionally, 18 rescuers from District Swat joined the operation.

The helicopter provided by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) also joined the operation and began firefighting procedures at around 12:00 p.m. Despite several attempts, the effectiveness of aerial water trips was limited due to thick smog, hindering visibility.

Despite challenges, ground firefighting efforts persisted throughout the day, involving 90 rescuers, forest officials, levies, FC and the local community. However, the fire remained uncontrollable. With darkness setting in, the operation was paused for safety reasons the other night.

The firefighting operation resumed at 5:30 am on Friday with a comprehensive team comprising of 65 Rescuers from Rescue 1122 from Dir Lower (40 Rescuers) and Malakand (25 Rescuers), forestry & wildlife officials, FC, levies, Civil Defense volunteers, and members of the local community.

The district administration said the fire emergency at Osakai, Badwan and Ghazo Mountains presented a significant challenge, requiring coordinated efforts from multiple agencies and communities. Despite initial setbacks, the commitment to controlling the fire remains steadfast, with a focus on resuming operations at the earliest opportunity.

It hoped that soon with concentrated efforts, the fire erupted at these locations would be doused soon.