SC halts tree cutting in Islamabad’s F-9 Park

During the hearing of a suo motu notice on Tuesday, the Supreme Court (SC) stopped the Capital Development Authority (CDA) from cutting trees in Islamabad’s F-9 Park.

“On whose orders the trees are being cut?” inquired Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, who was presiding over a three-member bench hearing the case.

The court called for the records from the CDA while seeking details of the costs incurred on cutting trees and the contract awarded.

Read: 49,600 trees cut down for ballots, claim activists

The court said the SC registrar submitted a note regarding tree felling to a three-member judges committee which took notice of the development, considering it a matter of fundamental rights.

“The nation is longing for trees and the CDA is cutting down trees in F-9 Park,” the court remarked. The court issued notices to the CDA, the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board and the federal government. The court said lawyers Saad Hashmi and Hasan Raza will represent the people in the case.

The court also appointed the president and secretary of the Press Association of Supreme Court as a commission.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2024.