The Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards 2026 ceremony was held in Islamabad to honour wildlife rangers and conservation workers who have rendered exceptional services to protect wildlife in some of the country’s most challenging mountainous regions. The event was organised by the Snow Leopard Foundation Pakistan in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination and the British High Commission in Pakistan. Minister of State for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr Shaza Fatima Khawaja, attended the ceremony as chief guest, while British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott was the guest of honour. Environmental experts, officials from the Ministry of Climate Change, diplomats, university faculty and students from across the country also attended the event. Held on the occasion of World Rangers Day, the ceremony paid tribute to wildlife protectors working in harsh weather conditions and difficult terrain across Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Seven field rangers were presented with awards for their bravery and outstanding services in preventing illegal hunting and protecting endangered wildlife. Three award recipients were from Gilgit-Baltistan, three from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one from Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The National Snow Leopard Award 2026 was presented to Deputy Ranger Gulbaz Khan of Kohistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, for foiling an attempt to illegally smuggle a snow leopard skin in the district. Other award recipients included Game Watcher Muhammad Younis Hasrat from Neelum, Azad Kashmir, who received the Musk Deer Award; Head Wildlife Watcher Nasir Ahmed from Lower Chitral, who received the Markhor Award; Seer Zahab from Upper Kohistan, who received the Black Bear Award; Sajjad Hussain of the Gilgit-Baltistan Wildlife Department, who received the Urial Award; Game Inspector Fida Hussain from Skardu, who received the Himalayan Lynx Award; and Wildlife Chowkidar Pervez Iqbal from Hunza, who received the Ibex Award. New Community-Based Conservation Award Introduced For the first time this year, the National Committee recommended the introduction of the Ashiq Ahmed Khan Community-Based Conservation Excellence Award, aimed at recognising outstanding community contributions to wildlife conservation. The inaugural award was presented to the Valley Conservation and Development Organization (VCDO) of Zondrangram Valley in Upper Chitral for its significant role in community-based wildlife conservation and promoting local participation in conservation efforts. Addressing the ceremony, British High Commissioner Jane Marriott said that, with support from the UK’s Darwin Initiative, Pakistan’s wildlife rangers and mountain communities were making exceptional contributions to protecting some of the world’s most important natural ecosystems. She said conservation efforts being carried out at the local level, from snow leopard habitats to urial ranges, were playing an important role not only in protecting endangered wildlife but also in safeguarding Pakistan’s valuable natural resources. Minister of State Dr Shaza Fatima Khawaja said Pakistan’s wildlife was a national asset and its protection required a shared commitment and responsibility at every level. She said the Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards recognised rangers who continued to work tirelessly to protect the country’s forests, mountains and wildlife despite harsh weather conditions and difficult terrain. “Their dedication and sacrifices demonstrate Pakistan’s commitment to protecting its biodiversity,” she said, adding that environmental protection was not solely the responsibility of the government but a shared responsibility of local communities, relevant institutions and future generations. Director of Snow Leopard Foundation Pakistan Dr Muhammad Ali Nawaz said wildlife and environmental conservation could not succeed without cooperation among local communities, wildlife departments and experts. He said rangers and local communities in Pakistan’s mountainous areas had demonstrated that patience, mutual trust and sustained efforts could help conserve wildlife while also significantly reducing human-wildlife conflicts. He described the awards as recognition of the “quiet but extraordinary services” of individuals who had devoted their lives to protecting Pakistan’s natural heritage. At the ceremony, Minister of State Dr Shaza Fatima Khawaja, British High Commissioner Jane Marriott and other guests distributed awards among the winners. Honorary shields and certificates were also presented to students who had volunteered their services and members of the organising committee.
Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards 2026 Honour Rangers Protecting Wildlife in Difficult Mountainous Areas
