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ISLAMABAD, Oct 01 (APP):Nature protection and preservation is God’s work but an uphill and daunting task among the camaraderie of devils in the guise of humans that are prone to damage and pollute the pristine ecosystems and biodiversity-rich natural habitats.
The Islamabad Capital Territory is the only city in the world that is home to a living habitat of endangered Common Asian Leopards and a plethora of wildlife, plant life, and insects forming the constellation of an unabated biome in its Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP).
Mansoor Sherwani, a young nature enthusiast and biodiversity lover working as a volunteer with the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) has been conferred the titles of Man of Awareness and Leopard of the MHNP.
The story to this incredible man’s journey doing the prophets’ task is very convincing and unique as he started to educate and reclaim the spoiled minds that least bother about mother nature and consider it a luxury to pollute its environment with plastics, littering, tree cutting, bushfires and other anthropogenic activities.
He started his journey in 2021 out of his passion and love that he developed towards nature and the iconic Margalla Hills that moved him to start telling its visitors to own it as a precious asset that guarantees their sustainable survival.
Sherwani, an almost 6 feet tall man with a convincing personality bearing a strong physique, an adorable beard, and a bright face wearing a charming smile makes every visitor compelled to listen to his exhortations. Smartly turned out in his tracksuit, multipurpose gloves, hiking shoes, goggles and a cowboy hat, and a backpack hydration bag makes him a perfect Man of Awareness loaded with his arsenal to achieve his task.
Mansoor Sherwani started working as a volunteer with IWMB and got engaged in its awareness activities that were regular but less frequent and in order to make it an intense effort, he decided to dedicate two days of the week to consistent awareness of the visitors of the hiking trails in the MHNP.
He said, “I do awareness and do it by visiting trails alone in the Margalla Hills National Park. I used to talk to people and try to educate them to be responsible towards nature. Sometimes people exchange harsh words with me and even have a scuffle. One individual rudely responded to me, I forbade him to litter in the MHNP that it was a lone jungle and I would continue littering here and what was my problem. But I stayed calm and continued to educate people.”
The Man of Awareness also bears great determination as it rain or thunder he always hikes the trails and educates the masses.
“I tell people that it is a national park and MHNP is a protected area where monkey feeding, smoking, barbecue, wood cutting, pets, shouting, ecosystem disturbance, tinkering or feeding the wild animals was strictly prohibited,” Mansoor Sherwani proudly said.
The motivated and highly responsible volunteer claims that he used to spend 5-6 hours in the national park. “I am spreading awareness and it has helped me to create a circle that is promoting awareness to the next level,” he added.
Senior IWMB Member and renowned biodiversity expert, Prof Z.B. Mirza held a special training workshop for volunteers for two days on ecosystem and climate recently, he said, adding, “I was awarded a certificate and Chief Volunteer, IWMB Tassaduq Malik awarded me the titles of Man of Awareness and Leopard of MHNP.”
The IWMB had started creating special stickers with the picture of Mansoor Sherwani with his cowboy hat and special messages on it that could be pasted on T-shirts, cups, and caps for the visitors and the general public. It will also have the titles of Sherwani inscribed on it as well.
Mansoor Sherwani, a man with a pure passion says that volunteerism is his passion and he does it to satisfy his inner self.
He added that the titles given by the IWMB are a reward for his services to nature at MHNP which will make an example out of him for many to follow.
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