ISLAMABAD: Plans to introduce water sports and tourism facilities near Simly Dam have triggered environmental concerns among residents and conservationists, who fear the move could threaten one of the capital’s few remaining sources of clean drinking water.
Constructed in 1983 and located around 30 kilometres east of Islamabad amid the foothills of lush green mountains, Simly Dam currently supplies nearly 40 per cent of the capital’s water needs. Unlike Rawal Dam, which has suffered severe pollution due to unchecked contamination in its catchment area, Simly Dam has largely remained protected because of its relatively isolated location.
However, the federal government and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) are now considering plans to transform the surrounding area into a tourism and recreational destination.
The CDA board recently approved a summary to appoint former CDA chairman Kamran Lashari as a consultant, or “city curator,” for preparing a comprehensive cultural and tourism vision for Islamabad at a reported salary of Rs2 million per month.
Although an official notification is yet to be issued, Lashari was recently seen briefing Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi during a visit to Simly Dam, where discussions reportedly focused on promoting tourism and water sports around the reservoir.
According to a statement issued by the Interior Ministry, Mohsin Naqvi directed authorities to prepare a workable plan for the expansion of Simly Dam alongside the development of tourism and recreational facilities in the surrounding area.
During the visit, officials briefed the minister on the dam’s storage capacity and informed him that expansion could significantly improve Islamabad’s future water supply. Naqvi also sought a separate proposal for recreational activities around the reservoir.
“There are immense opportunities for recreational activities in the area adjacent to Simly Dam. Water sports and other facilities would drive local development,” the minister said, adding that such initiatives could create employment opportunities and provide citizens with “world-class recreational facilities.”
The ministry noted that the reservoir is already informally used for boating and picnics but currently lacks proper infrastructure, safety systems and CDA-managed facilities.
Environmental experts, however, caution that increased tourism and commercial activity near the reservoir could jeopardise water quality and damage the fragile ecosystem surrounding the dam.
Concerns have also resurfaced due to controversies linked to projects undertaken during Kamran Lashari’s tenure as CDA chairman between 2003 and 2008. While his period in office saw major infrastructure development, including the construction of 7th and 9th avenues, the Zero Point Interchange and extensive beautification projects, several initiatives also drew criticism and investigations.
Among the controversial projects was the leasing of the One Constitution Avenue site in 2005 for a five-star hotel project that later became entangled in legal and financial disputes.
Similarly, commercial development in the Margalla Hills during his tenure, including restaurants and expanded roads on Pir Sohawa Road, attracted heavy traffic and environmental degradation, prompting intervention by the Supreme Court, which later ordered an end to commercial activities in the area.
Critics now fear that unchecked tourism expansion around Simly Dam could repeat similar environmental consequences, potentially threatening Islamabad’s critical water resources and natural landscape.
Story by Kashif Abbasi
