Pakistan’s famous hilltop restaurants lie in ruins amid slow restoration

Perched atop Pakistan’s scenic capital, the once-bustling hilltop restaurants of the Margalla Hills now stand deserted and decaying. What was once a popular destination for locals and tourists alike has turned into a haunting reminder of stalled environmental restoration and unfulfilled promises.

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The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice, Athar Minallah, in January 2022, directed the restaurant to be shut down, stating it was constructed illegally on land that forms part of the Margalla Hills National Park.

The land belonging to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Remount, Veterinary and Farms Directorate of the Pakistan Army was transferred to the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) to safeguard the environment of the park.

Following some setbacks, the restaurants were formally sealed on Sept. 11, 2024, a gesture hailed by environmentalists as a triumph for nature.

A year later, however, the site reveals another tale. No new development has begun, and the area has yet to be returned to its natural state.

“Most of the major structures have been removed, but there’s still about five to six feet of concrete left on the land,” said an IWMB official while speaking to Nukta.

“We need proper resources and machinery to remove it completely. We can’t give a specific timeline for the restoration. We’ve planted pine trees there, but they won’t grow overnight. The restoration process has always been slow, and nature takes its own time to heal,” the official added.

Promises were made, but nothing has been done on the ground. Experts say that if the land is not restored immediately, the surrounding green spaces may suffer more damage.

A year later, the question lingers: When will nature really come back to Margalla Hills?