Case filed against TikToker for setting Margalla Hills ablaze 

Islamabad: A case has been lodged against famous female Pakistani Tiktoker Humaira Asghar aka Dolly for deliberating setting woods—Margalla Hills— on fire all just for a ‘mystical effect’. 

As per details, the case has been filed against Dolly for defying the environmental protection laws under Environmental Protection Act 1997. She would be investigated regarding the fire incident.  

The video has drawn flak on social media as the woman was shot walking down the hill in a silver ball gown, in front of a forest fire raging behind her.  

Dozens of trees were burnt to ashes to create a dramatic effect for the viewers in the footage. 

A few days back, a video of two young men setting the forest on fire at Margalla Hills for a mere TikTok video drew widespread criticism and anger. They could be seen setting the forest on fire with a lighter. 

In Pakistan, this has become a trend as earlier this month a man was arrested in Abbottabad for intentionally starting a forest fire for the background of a video. 

The incidents immediately drew widespread criticism and anger.

Following the emergence of back-to-back wildfire videos involving TikTokers in recent days, the Wildlife officials have demanded the government bring legislation to protect the forests in Pakistan. 

Sharing the video of the female TikToker on Twitter, Islamabad Wildlife Management Board Chairperson Rina Khan condemned the acts.

Terming the short clip ‘disturbing and disastrous’, the chairperson said the woman should have been holding a bucket of water to extinguish the fire instead of glamourising it. 

Underscoring the need for legislation, she said that there is life imprisonment for those who start wildfires in Australia. (The government of New South Wales in Australia has set a law that lists the maximum punishment for starting a bushfire as 21 years in prison).

“We need to introduce similar legislation,” she added.

This is a disturbing & disastrous trend on Tik Tok! Young people desperate 4 followers are setting fire to our forests during this hot & dry season! In Australia it is lifetime imprisonment for those who start wildfires. We need to introduce similar legislation ⁦@WildlifeBoard pic.twitter.com/RGMXnbG9f1

— Rina S Khan Satti (@rinasaeed) May 17, 2022

Those who set fire to forests don’t realise damage they do to wildlife! It is breeding season for birds in Margallahs right now & their ground nests destroyed by fire, can’t even escape! Here’s video sent by KP forest dept after recent fires in Haripur side ⁦@WildlifeBoard⁩ pic.twitter.com/o172HL4oyz

— Rina S Khan Satti (@rinasaeed) May 17, 2022

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan is the eighth most vulnerable country, globally, to extreme weather caused by climate change. In recent days, temperatures have pealed 51 degrees celsius in parts of country. 

On the other hand, TikTok has released an official statement and said any content that violates guidelines and promotes dangerous and illegal behaviour is not allowed. "...any content that promotes dangerous or illegal behaviour would be a violation of our community guidelines and is not allowed on our platform. 

The statement further added: “We work to either remove, limit, or label content that depicts dangerous or illegal acts”.