Conservation, Community, and Cultural Heritage
The Himalayan Wildlife Foundation (HWF) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation headquartered in Islamabad, Pakistan, dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity and cultural heritage across the country. It is registered with the Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan under the Companies Ordinance 1984 as a Section 42 company, and is certified by the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy (PCP).
HWF is widely credited with saving two of Pakistan's most iconic species from the brink of extinction: the Himalayan Brown Bear and the Mahseer fish. Today, the Foundation is bringing the same commitment and dedication to Pakistan's forgotten built heritage — starting with Ain Fort.
When HWF first assessed Ain Fort, the site had stood derelict for nearly a century. Despite being located just a few kilometres from the multibillion-dollar Karot Hydropower Project, the fort had been entirely overlooked — abandoned without record, crumbling without intervention.
With the support of the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund and the School of Art, Design & Architecture at NUST University, HWF undertook the structural stabilisation of the fort and the installation of upgraded visitor information facilities. The goal was not simply to restore a ruin — it was to demonstrate that responsible heritage tourism can transform the economics of an impoverished community.
The long-term aim is simple but powerful: to hand full management of Ain Fort to the local community, so that they become the permanent stewards of their own heritage. Every visitor who comes to Ain Fort contributes to a livelihood for the people of Ain village and ensures that this extraordinary piece of Pakistani history is maintained for future generations.
In an environment of neglect and despair, with the right ingredients, the economics of poverty can be turned around — one visitor at a time.
