ISLAMABAD: Pakistan paid tribute to its frontline wildlife protectors at the Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards 2026, recognising outstanding field rangers and a village conservation community for their exceptional contributions to wildlife conservation and anti-poaching efforts in some of the country’s most remote mountain landscapes.
The awards ceremony, organised by the Snow Leopard Foundation (SLF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC) and the British High Commission Pakistan, was held in Islamabad to mark World Ranger Day.
Minister of State for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Shezra Mansab Kharal attended the event as the chief guest, while British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott was the guest of honour. The ceremony brought together environmental experts, government officials, diplomats, academics, university students and conservation practitioners from across the country.
British High Commissioner, Jane Marriott CMG OBE, said: “Pakistan’s wildlife rangers and mountain communities do extraordinary work to protect some of the world’s most important ecosystems. UK support through the Darwin Initiative is helping locally led conservation efforts, from snow leopard landscapes to Urial habitats, protecting nature.”
The awards honoured wildlife rangers serving in the challenging mountainous regions of Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where they work under harsh weather conditions to protect Pakistan’s biodiversity and combat illegal wildlife trade and poaching.
Three award recipients were from Gilgit-Baltistan, three from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one from Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The prestigious National Snow Leopard Award 2026 was presented to Deputy Ranger Gulbaz Khan from Kohistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, for successfully preventing an attempt to smuggle a snow leopard skin.
Other award recipients included:
• Musk Deer Award: Game Watcher Muhammad Younis Hasrat (Neelum District, Azad Jammu and Kashmir)
• Markhor Award: Head Wildlife Watcher Nasir Ahmad (Lower Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
• Black Bear Award: Seer Zehab (Upper Kohistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
• Urial Award: Sajjad Hussain (Gilgit, Wildlife Department GB)
• Himalayan Lynx Award: Game Inspector Fida Hussain (Skardu, Gilgit Baltistan)
• Ibex Award: Wildlife Guard Parvez Iqbal (Hunza, Gilgit Baltistan)
Moreover, Acting on the recommendation of the National Committee, a new Ashiq Ahmad Khan Community-Based Conservation Excellence Award was introduced this year to recognize outstanding community-led conservation initiatives. The inaugural award was presented to the Valley Conservation and Development Organization (VCDO) of Zondrangram Upper Chitral, in recognition of its exemplary contribution to community-based wildlife conservation.
Addressing the ceremony, Dr Shezra Mansab Kharal said Pakistan’s wildlife is a national asset whose protection requires collective commitment and shared responsibility at every level.
“The Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards pay tribute to wildlife rangers who work tirelessly to protect our forests, mountains and wildlife despite harsh weather and difficult terrain. Their dedication and sacrifices demonstrate Pakistan’s commitment to biodiversity conservation. These awards also remind us that protecting nature is a shared responsibility of government institutions, local communities and future generations,” she said.
Speaking at the event, Snow Leopard Foundation Pakistan Director Dr Muhammad Ali Nawaz said lasting conservation success is only possible when local communities, wildlife departments and conservation experts work together.
“Rangers and local communities in Pakistan’s mountain landscapes have shown that patience, mutual trust and sustained efforts can not only help restore wildlife populations but also significantly reduce human-wildlife conflict. These awards recognise the quiet yet extraordinary contributions of individuals who have devoted their lives to safeguarding Pakistan’s natural heritage,” he said.
The chief guest, the British High Commissioner and other dignitaries presented awards to the winners, while honorary shields and certificates were also distributed among student volunteers and members of the national awards committee for their contributions to the event.
