January 15, 2026
By: Rana Malhi
Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court has ordered an immediate halt to the cutting of trees by the Capital Development Authority within the federal capital, expressing serious concern over alleged violations of environmental laws.
The order was issued during a hearing held on Thursday, presided over by Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, on a petition filed by Muhammad Naveed Ahmed. Advocate Mudassar Latif Abbasi appeared before the court on behalf of the petitioner.
During the proceedings, the petitioner’s counsel informed the court that large-scale tree cutting was continuing across Islamabad in clear violation of rules and regulations. He argued that the removal of trees was contributing to dangerous environmental changes and amounted to a direct breach of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act.
The court summoned the Assistant Attorney General present in the courtroom and questioned him directly on the reasons behind the ongoing tree cutting. Justice Soomro asked why trees were being felled despite existing environmental safeguards.
Following the arguments, the court restrained the CDA from carrying out any further tree cutting until the next hearing. Notices were issued to the CDA, the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, and the Ministry of Climate Change, directing them to submit para-wise replies along with a detailed report on the matter. The case has been adjourned until 2 February.
Background: Mass Felling of Paper Mulberry Trees in Islamabad
The court proceedings come amid growing controversy over the large-scale cutting of paper mulberry, locally known as wild mulberry, trees across Islamabad.
More than 29,000 paper mulberry trees have reportedly been cut in the capital, including trees that were over 50 years old. The issue has sparked widespread public concern, prompting intervention at the highest levels of government.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the matter and sought a comprehensive report on the tree cutting. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also directed the CDA to provide full details of the operation.
According to CDA officials, contracts for the cutting of paper mulberry trees were awarded last year. Since then, tree removal has taken place in several major areas, including Shakarparian, F-9 Park, and along Srinagar Highway.
The CDA has maintained that the operation was aimed at removing allergy-causing trees. However, environmental experts have challenged this justification, pointing out that the global trend is toward expanding tree cover rather than reducing it. They argue that Islamabad appears to be moving in the opposite direction.
Experts and environmental activists have also highlighted that, during the cutting process, other environmentally beneficial and human-friendly trees were damaged or removed, further worsening the ecological impact. Citizens and environmental groups have strongly criticized the CDA’s actions, calling them reckless and poorly planned.
Government Assurances and Replantation Claims
CDA’s Director General Environment, Irfan Azeem Niazi, has stated that fruit-bearing and pine trees will be planted as replacements for the cut paper mulberry trees. Authorities have claimed that the replantation process will prioritize native and environmentally suitable species.
A high-level meeting on environmental protection in Islamabad was later held under the chairmanship of Federal Minister Dr. Musadik Malik. The meeting was briefed on the phased removal of allergy-causing paper mulberry trees and future plantation plans.
Officials assured the meeting that more trees would be planted than those cut, and that every removed tree would be compensated through additional plantation. Dr. Musadik Malik emphasized that Islamabad’s greenery must be protected at all costs and that no environmental measure would be taken without strict compliance with laws and regulations.
He stated that improving Islamabad’s environment is a government priority and that protecting citizens’ health is a state responsibility. The meeting also reviewed the current situation and agreed on institutional cooperation for future environmental initiatives.
Parliamentary Debate and Conflicting Narratives
The issue also reached the floor of the National Assembly, where a calling attention notice was submitted regarding indiscriminate tree cutting in Islamabad.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry responded to media by stating that trees were removed for three main reasons. He explained that under the Islamabad Master Plan, some areas were designated as green while others were brown, but undeveloped sectors had long been mistakenly treated as green zones.
He cited Embassy Road as an example, saying that trees were not cut to build a new road but were removed from land already designated for road infrastructure. Talal Chaudhry claimed that for every tree removed, four new trees were planted.
According to him, 29,215 trees were cut, while more than 40,000 trees have already been planted. He further announced that 60,000 additional trees would be planted at the same locations in March. He insisted that Islamabad’s green area had increased rather than decreased and described the decision as a collective government policy rather than an individual administrative move.
Senate Committee Takes Notice
Separately, the Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change, Sherry Rehman, took strong notice of the tree cutting.
She summoned the Chairman CDA to appear before the Senate committee meeting scheduled for 22 January to explain the reasons behind the removal of trees.
In her statement, Sherry Rehman described the indiscriminate cutting of trees in Islamabad as deeply alarming and against the national interest. She declared the felling of 50-year-old trees unacceptable and warned that Islamabad could not be allowed to be turned brown under the pretext of paper mulberry removal.
She stressed that protecting Islamabad’s greenery is a national responsibility and made it clear that violations of environmental laws would not be tolerated. She also questioned whether the capital was being pushed toward the same fate as cities like Lahore and Multan, which are already suffering from severe smog.
Sherry Rehman warned that reduced tree cover would lead to rising temperatures and increased pollution, emphasizing that environmental protection is essential for future generations. She called for transparency in all actions affecting green areas and underlined that safeguarding public health must remain a top priority.