ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has stopped the Capital Development Authority (CDA) from cutting trees in the federal capital until February 2. The court also asked for a detailed report on the ongoing tree-cutting drive amid claims of serious environmental damage.
Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro issued the order while hearing a petition filed by Muhammad Naveed Ahmad of the Centre for Justice and Rights under Article 199 of the Constitution.
Advocate Muddasir Latif Abbasi appeared for the petitioner, while Assistant Attorney General Sarfraz Rauf represented the government.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer said that large-scale tree cutting was taking place across Islamabad in violation of rules. He argued that this was harming the environment, affecting public health, and violating the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act (PEPA) 1997.
Justice Soomro questioned the government and asked why trees were being cut despite environmental laws. Taking serious notice, the court ordered the CDA to immediately stop all tree-felling until the next hearing.
The court issued notices to the CDA, the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA), and the Ministry of Climate Change, asking them to submit detailed replies and a full report at the next hearing. The case was then adjourned until February 2.
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In recent weeks, trees were removed at several places in the Islamabad Capital Territory, including Shakarparian, which led to strong public criticism.
Earlier, Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry told the National Assembly that 29,115 trees were cut due to three “possible reasons” and said more trees would be planted in the coming months.
The CDA had said that only paper mulberry trees were removed because they cause pollen allergies. However, WWF-Pakistan stated that the tree cutting was also linked to infrastructure development at different locations.
The petition said the tree-cutting violated PEPA, the Islamabad Wildlife Ordinance 1979, and the Islamabad Master Plan, which declares Shakarparian a protected green area. It also said no public hearing was held as required by law and that Pak-EPA failed to act in time.
The petitioner criticised the Ministry of Climate Change, saying the minister justified the tree cutting instead of stopping it, claiming it was done under court orders.
According to the petition, thousands of mature trees were cut in late 2025 and early 2026, causing serious and permanent environmental damage.
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The petitioner asked the IHC to fix responsibility at the highest levels of the CDA. He requested the court to seek official records of the tree-cutting operations, including who approved them and whether any environmental assessments were done.
He also asked for strict legal action against those responsible under PEPA and the Pakistan Penal Code. He further sought action against Pak-EPA and the climate change ministry for failing to perform their duties.
The petitioner demanded an immediate ban on all tree cutting in Islamabad and called for a high-level judicial commission to investigate violations of the Islamabad Master Plan. He suggested the commission submit its report within 90 days.
He also asked the court to order the CDA to compensate for the loss by transplanting mature native trees and planting at least ten new trees for every tree cut.
Finally, he urged the court to review the implementation of recommendations made in the 2015 Dr Parvez Hassan environmental report and take strict action where violations are found.
