Islamabad ‘greener than before’, Talal Chaudhry defends tree felling

Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry on Tuesday dismissed criticism over alleged large-scale tree felling in the federal capital, saying only allergenic paper mulberry trees had been removed and asserting that Islamabad is now “greener than before.

Responding to a call for attention made by MNA Muhammad Riaz Fatyana regarding indiscriminate felling of trees in Islamabad, Chaudhry told the National Assembly that the issue had been widely discussed without the facts being properly established.

“The issue had been widely discussed on social and electronic media, but the facts showed that only specific categories of trees were removed – primarily paper mulberry, long identified as a source of serious allergies and health problems,” he said.

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Explaining the rationale behind the removals, the minister said tree felling in Islamabad occurs under three specific circumstances, including infrastructure development and removal of dangerous species. “Tree removal in Islamabad generally occurs under three circumstances: development activities carried out under the city’s original master plan, where brownfield sites remained undeveloped; infrastructure requirements such as new roads, underpasses and overhead structures; and removal of hazardous species, particularly paper mulberry,” he added.

Chaudhry said that areas commonly perceived as green spaces were actually designated as brown spaces in the original master plan. He maintained that no infrastructure project completed in the last 18 months had removed trees without following due process.

“Each project went through mandatory public hearings, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) review, certification and mapping through SPARCO imagery and NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), an internationally recognized method for assessing green cover,” he said.

Referring to the widening of Embassy Road in 2016-17, the minister said trees planted temporarily on undeveloped road space were later removed and replaced with four times more trees once construction was completed as per the approved plan.

He said more than 40,000 mature trees, each between eight and 10 feet tall, had already been planted, while another 60,000 would be planted in March.

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The minister added that the paper mulberry issue had been under consideration for years, starting with Islamabad High Court orders in 2009, followed by the formation of an environmental committee in 2010, a public hearing in 2023 and a Supreme Court decision in 2024.

According to Chaudhry, 2,915 trees were removed only after complete surveying, tagging and expert review. He said the committee appointed by the Supreme Court confirmed that only paper mulberry trees were removed and that no healthy native species were affected.

He said SPARCO images, Google Maps data and NDVI analysis showed that Islamabad’s green cover had increased between 2023 and 2025, contradicting claims that green areas were shrinking.

The minister invited parliamentarians and journalists to attend a technical briefing on the ground to verify the data. He also emphasized that the removal of paper mulberry trees did not generate revenue, saying that resources were instead spent on removing the species completely to prevent regrowth.

“Islamabad was now safer, more modern and greener than before,” Chaudhry said, urging that criticism based on misinformation should not overshadow factual environmental improvements.

The matter was referred to the relevant committee for further consideration.

Scientific basis behind mulberry tree removal: Musadik Malik

Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr. Musadik Malik, said on Tuesday that the recent removal of wild mulberry (paper mulberry) trees in Shakarparian was done based on scientific assessments, noting that pollen from the species affects 30 to 37 percent of Islamabad’s population.

The minister made the remarks during a field visit to Shakarparian, where he reviewed the tree removal and replanting efforts. He said environmental protection remained a serious and ongoing priority for the government, adding that changes were being made to existing laws to increase penalties for environmental violations.

Dr. Malik personally inspected the cutting of paper mulberry trees as well as the replanting of native species. “The removal of paper mulberry trees in Shakarparian followed a scientific identification process. Any negligence or violation of the law at any time will be dealt with,” he said. He added that studies investigating the impact of paper mulberry pollen were being conducted internationally.

Referring to public hearing, the minister said hearings had been held in F-9 Park and other parts of Islamabad and records and minutes of those sessions had been sought. “Public hearings are a fundamental right of the people and full details are being obtained wherever such hearings have taken place in Islamabad,” he said.

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Dr. Malik said the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had been asked to plant three new trees for every tree removed, while the Ministry of Climate Change would also undertake additional afforestation initiatives in the federal capital.

He added that the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) had been instructed to count trees and compile related data to ensure that all actions were in accordance with the law. Construction projects deemed to be in violation of environmental requirements will be issued show cause notices, he said.

Speaking about legal reforms, Dr. Malik: “Amendments are being made to increase penalties for environmental violations. Currently, fines are capped at Rs 1 million, but this limit will be raised.” He clarified that while the ministry did not directly undertake tree felling or planting, it was responsible for supervision and monitoring.

“There will be no compromise on the protection of Islamabad’s green spaces. Environmental protection is a serious and permanent priority of the government,” the minister said.