Elderly environmentalist injured as tree removal sparks outcry in Karachi

A 79-year-old environmentalist was injured on Thursday following an altercation with officials, allegedly from the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), over the removal of trees in the Jail Chowrangi area. This incident is part of a broader controversy involving the felling of hundreds of trees on Shaheed-e-Millat Road, which has sparked public outrage and allegations of corruption.

Abdul Hameed Dagia, who has been active in environmental issues for a decade, told a private news outlet that he was "attacked" after refusing to stop video documentation of the "illegal chopping down of trees." His family reported that he was rushed to Aga Khan University Hospital with "several injuries," where he received treatment and was later discharged.

Dagia’s son submitted a complaint to the Ferozabad police, stating that Dagia encountered a "tree-cutter mafia" at Jail Chowrangi. The complaint said that as Dagia began filming, the group identified themselves as KMC officials and began "threatening" him. "Despite the threats, he continued filming and was then attacked, beaten up, and cursed," the complaint stated. The Ferozabad police were alerted and subsequently arrested an individual from the group who claimed to be from the KMC.

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said he was informed Dagia had sparked the altercation with abusive language. "I have checked with [KMC] Parks Department. They informed me they were replacing Conocarpus trees with local indigenous ones on Shaheed-e-Millat Road. Dagia sahib came and tried to stop them. As per them, it was Dagia sahib who began to use offensive language," Wahab said. The chairman of Town Municipal Corporation Jinnah also initially visited the site to halt the work but, upon seeing the replacement project, ended up planting a tree himself.

Also read: KMC begins to replace Conocarpus with Neem tree

Hundreds of Conocarpus trees have been cut down on Shaheed-e-Millat Road, affecting traffic flow and depriving residents of shade. The KMC has faced heavy criticism from citizens over the tree removal. DG Parks Junaid Ullah Khan stated that over 150 Conocarpus trees were cut down to make way for more environmentally friendly trees. "Before Eid ul Adha, we will plant neem, gulmohar, and other trees along Shaheed-e-Millat Road," he said, adding that this initiative is part of Mayor Wahab's directive to plant eco-friendly trees citywide.

However, the tree-cutting has drawn severe criticism from various quarters. Environmental organisations argue that the trees provided essential shade, which is particularly valuable in the city's extreme heat. They claim there was no justification for cutting them down.

Sources suggest the KMC is installing electronic signboards on poles, which were not visible due to the trees. This task was assigned to the Parks Department, and Junaidullah Khan is overseeing it. It's important to note that the Supreme Court has banned advertising hoardings, yet the KMC continues to install electronic signboards on major roads like Sharea Faisal and Sir Shah Suleman Road, which is illegal. Jinnah Town Chairman Farhan Ghani halted such activities in his town.

There are allegations that hefty bribes were taken from companies installing these signboards, prompting the tree-cutting. Efforts to contact Mayor Wahab for his stance on this matter were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to phone calls.