November 29, 2025
By Iqra Manzoor & Mateen Ali
LAHORE
Lahore’s historic Nasser Bagh, a green sanctuary in the heart of the city – which has been the host of many a protest – is now at the centre of a debate itself.
At least 123 trees have been transplanted, and water structures dismantled for the construction of an underground parking plaza at Lahore’s British-era garden, has ignited an intense debate between development planners and environmental advocates. With protests announced by angry and distressed civil society activists and students, the city faces renewed debate over how much of its green heritage Lahore can afford to lose to urban development.
The project, valued at Rs1.63 billion, is being executed by the Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency (Tepa) under the Lahore Development Authority (LDA). Officials claim the underground parking facility will ease traffic congestion around Lower Mall, reduce smog and unregulated street parking, and offer motorists a safer, structured alternative, a proposal the government calls necessary environmental planning. Yet all is being done at the cost of the felling of trees on a mass scale. Critics are arguing that infrastructure cannot replace ecology.
Heritage meets concrete
For many, Nasser Bagh is not merely another public park, it is a memory. Established during the British period and historically known as Band Stand Garden, later Gol Bagh, the site has evolved with Lahore’s own identity. Set between Government College University, Old Anarkali and Urdu Bazaar, the garden has hosted countless political rallies, literary gatherings, student movements, and family outings for decades. It remains one of the last open green lungs within Lahore’s densest academic and cultural belt.
Its ponds, fountains, shaded pathways, and old trees represent both ecological breath and historical continuity. To many, this project threatens both.
From restoration to excavation, a policy in conflict
What complicates the debate further is the government’s own narrative. Just a year ago, on October 8, 2023, the Punjab government celebrated the successful beautification and restoration of Nasser Bagh, calling it a step toward reviving Lahore’s colonial greens. The PHA announced new grass beds, fresh plantation, restored fountains, and improved lighting, promising to “transform Lahore into a city of gardens and flowers.”
Conservationist Dr. Ajaz Anwar, founding member of the Lahore Conservation Society, has called for strong resistance against what he terms a “devastation of Lahore’s green cover.” He warns that relocation of mature plants during winter puts them at high risk of mortality, adding that March is the safest season for transplantation. According to him, the public should expect many of the 123 trees to die over the coming weeks.
A protest has been called on December 2, joined by students from NCA, GCU, PU and several academic institutes around the park.
“We will not allow the government to devastate green areas of Lahore,” Dr. Anwar asserts. “If a parking plaza is essential, it must be shifted elsewhere.”
Lahore’s wider tree crisis
The controversy at Nasser Bagh echoes recent concerns over the loss of mature trees across Lahore. In October 2025, Voicepk reported the cutting of a 150‑year-old banyan tree in Lahore Cantt, despite court orders prohibiting such actions. Environmentalists and civil society condemned the incident as a “criminal act,” calling for accountability from the Cantonment Board and the Parks & Horticulture Authority (PHA). Such cases highlight the ongoing tension between urban development and preservation of the city’s green heritage.
Human rights and environmental concern
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has also voiced strong concern over the project. The commission stated, “HRCP is deeply alarmed by the felling of trees in Lahore’s historic Nasir Bagh, reportedly to make way for a parking plaza. Nasir Bagh is one of the city’s oldest public green spaces and its mature tree cover is an irreplaceable environmental and cultural asset. Destroying these trees for commercial infrastructure reflects a troubling disregard for public heritage, ecological balance and citizens’ right to a healthy environment. Indeed, at a time when Pakistan is already among the countries most affected by the climate crisis, destroying vital urban green cover reflects deeply misguided priorities. We call on the Punjab government and relevant authorities to halt all tree felling immediately, disclose the project’s approvals and ensure that any development upholds environmental safeguards and public interest.”
Tepa firmly defends project
According to reports, the Chief Engineer Iqrar Hussain maintains that no trees were felled, only young saplings with 3 to 5-inch girth have been relocated, under the supervision of horticulture specialists and the NGO Save the Tree. According to him, the project is part of the Lahore Authority for Heritage Revival, under which other beautification and parking initiatives are also being undertaken to reduce traffic load and smog in central Lahore.
The administration insists the project will improve environmental quality rather than destroy it.
“Tree relocation was done responsibly. These trees can adapt and regrow,” Hussain says.
However, environmentalists and landscape experts question whether survival reflects intention — and whether Lahore can afford another “transplantation compromise” in a city where tree mortality after relocation is a documented pattern.
Response from the transplant team
Voicepk went to the site of Nasser Bagh to speak with Khawaja Mazhar Iqbal, the head of the Save the Trees initiative, whose team has been responsible for relocating hundreds of trees affected by the underground parking project. Mazhar explained the rationale behind the relocation process, the precautions taken, and how the project was executed in consultation with environmental experts.
He told Voicepk, “For the past eight years, our team at the Save the Trees initiative has been engaged in the protection and transplantation of ancient trees across Pakistan. We have successfully completed over 80 projects in collaboration with institutions such as the CDA, RDA, and the Forest Department.”
“Around three months ago, the Traffic Engineering Department approached us to assist with relocating trees for the underground parking facility, ensuring minimal environmental impact. We revised certain design elements to preserve at least 20 large trees, while nearly 100 other plants were carefully relocated within the park using methods such as root-balling, bowl support, nutrient treatment, and light pruning. The entire process followed international transplantation standards and included ongoing post-relocation monitoring.”
“Some of the videos circulating online were captured mid-process, giving the impression that trees were being damaged. However, the judicial commission inspected the site, reviewed our procedures, and expressed satisfaction with the work undertaken,” he added.
“We acknowledge the heritage and historical value of Nasser Bagh, but we believe preservation and urban development can co-exist if approached systematically. Lahore can adopt sustainable solutions such as rooftop gardens, elevated green spaces, and vertical plantations, which have been successfully implemented in cities around the world.”
Mazhar emphasized that the project was carried out with meticulous care, and that the trees, shrubs, and other plants transplanted are expected to thrive if monitored properly over the coming months. He also highlighted that the collaboration between civil society and government departments, when conducted responsibly, can ensure environmental protection even in urban development projects.
Yet, despite these assurances, environmentalists remain cautious. Conservationists warn that winter transplantation still carries risks, and the December 2 protest reflects ongoing concern over balancing Lahore’s green heritage with urban development.
Judicial scrutiny
On November 28, the Lahore High Court expressed concern over the reported cutting of trees and ordered a judicial commission and PHA to inspect the site. Justice Shahid Karim stressed that Nasser Bagh holds historical significance and its original layout must be preserved. He reiterated that parking challenges cannot justify irreparable ecological loss.
The court will review the survival of relocated trees, environmental compliance, and design changes in the upcoming hearing.
Even with these assurances, environmentalists remain cautious. Conservationists warn that winter transplantation carries risks, and the December 2 protest reflects ongoing concern over balancing Lahore’s green heritage with urban development. With the city facing rapid infrastructure expansion, smog, and groundwater depletion, Nasser Bagh has become a symbol of the broader struggle to protect Lahore’s green lungs.
Because trees do not grow overnight, and history does not return once erased.