A video showing the illegal killing of a rare deer in Islamabad’s Margalla Hills National Park has sparked widespread outrage and prompted a formal investigation by authorities.
The footage, which quickly spread across social media, shows three men slaughtering a barking deer in broad daylight near a roadside, while a forest guard—reportedly affiliated with the Capital Development Authority (CDA)—is seen nearby holding a wireless communication device. One of the men is shown carrying the animal’s carcass on his shoulders as the group walks away.
When confronted by tourists, the suspects allegedly claimed to be working for the CDA’s Environment Protection department.
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The CDA later denied any wrongdoing, stating through a spokesperson that its staff had merely found the deer already injured and decided to put it down. However, the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) has launched a full inquiry to determine who fired the shot that killed the protected animal.
A formal complaint has been filed at the local police station against the identified suspects, Bashir Abbasi, Zain Abbasi, and others. Authorities are pursuing charges under Sections 12.4(a) and 16.1(a) of the Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act 2024.
The barking deer is listed under Schedule One of the Act as a protected species. Anyone found guilty of hunting it illegally could face a fine of up to Rs. 1 million and a jail term of up to one year.