Islamabad: The Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, chaired by Ms. Munaza Hassan, MNA, expressed serious concern today over the large-scale felling of trees across the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and the lack of effective coordination among relevant authorities.
During a briefing by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination in coordination with the Capital Development Authority (CDA), the Committee examined the justification, legal basis, and environmental implications of tree-cutting activities, including the removal of paper mulberry and other species across various sectors of Islamabad.
The Committee noted with concern the absence of key stakeholders, including the CDA Chairman and the Federal Minister and Minister of State for Climate Change, stressing that such non-attendance undermines parliamentary oversight. While CDA claimed that Islamabad's overall green cover has increased through compensatory plantation and transplantation, the Committee emphasized that post-facto assurances cannot replace prior planning, environmental assessments, and statutory compliance, particularly in protected areas like Margalla Hills National Park.
The Committee raised serious questions regarding the lack of environmental impact studies prior to tree removal, cutting in designated brown areas without ecological cost-benefit analysis, and weak institutional coordination between CDA, Pak-EPA, and other regulators. It also expressed dissatisfaction over the continued non-functional state of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and Pakistan Climate Change Authority, noting that the absence of rules and legislation has impaired effective environmental governance. Concerns were also voiced over the absence of a coordinated plan for air quality and emissions monitoring in the federal capital.
The Committee directed CDA to submit the Islamabad Master Plan with clear demarcation of green and brown areas, supported by satellite imagery, and to provide comprehensive, site-wise data on tree removal and reforestation, including details of species affected and replanted. Expert studies and technical assessments justifying the removal of paper mulberry trees, along with a verification report from IWMB regarding tree-cutting in sensitive and protected areas, were also requested. The Committee stressed the need for improved institutional coordination and compliance with environmental laws.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Ms. Rana Ansar, Ms. Shaista Pervaiz, Syeda Shehla Raza, Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Ms. Tamkeen Niazi, Ms. Shahida Rahmani, Mr. Bilal Farooq Tarar, and Ms. Tahira Aurangzeb, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Climate Change, CDA, and Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA).