Naqvi assures no trees will be cut at Islamabad’s F-9 Park

Says F-9 Park upgrades to include better lighting, a lake, coffee shops, improved walkways, and thousands of new trees

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday assured that no trees will be cut and no new concrete structures will be built at Islamabad’s F-9 Park, following concerns raised by environmental activist and schoolteacher Usman about plans to upgrade the capital’s largest green spaces.

The clarification came after Naqvi on October 21 announced plans to revamp F-9 Park along the lines of London’s Hyde Park and to establish additional parks in Islamabad. He said the government planned to renovate F-9 Park and develop four new parks in the capital.

“Let me make it absolutely clear that not a single tree will be cut, 100% guaranteed. No new concrete structures,” Naqvi said in a post on X, responding to a video shared by Usman on Instagram.

F-9 Park holds a special place in the hearts of everyone living in Islamabad.

Let me make it absolutely clear that Not a single tree will be cut 100% guaranteed. No new concrete structures.

Instead, we are planning better lighting, a beautiful lake, coffee shops, improved…

— Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) October 25, 2026

Naqvi said the proposed improvements to Fatima Jinnah Park, commonly known as F-9 Park, would include better lighting, a lake, coffee shops and improved walkways, along with the plantation of thousands of additional trees.

“Our only goal is to make F-9 Park greener, safer, more beautiful, and more enjoyable for families and visitors,” he said, adding that the park held a special place in the hearts of Islamabad’s residents.

In his video, Usman said F-9 Park, which spans around 400 acres, was important for the city’s environment and the future of coming generations.

“Because this park is part of our hearts and souls,” he said, adding that around 2.45 billion litres of rainwater fell on the park’s area annually before being absorbed into the ground and contributing to groundwater reserves.

“Please do not develop it for the sake of development,” he said, urging the authorities to plant more trees and introduce a wider variety of species to increase greenery and improve air quality.

“Instead of building huge structures here or turning it into a high-rise park, plant more trees,” Usman said.

The exchange comes after months of controversy over the cutting of trees across Islamabad, where the CDA removed more than 29,000 paper mulberry trees as part of a drive to address pollen allergies.

The operation affected several areas, including F-9 Park, Shakarparian and parts of the city’s residential sectors. The authority said the trees were removed on scientific and legal grounds and would be replaced with indigenous, environmentally suitable species.

The large-scale felling drew criticism from environmental advocates and residents, who questioned the removal of mature trees and the impact of infrastructure projects on Islamabad’s green cover.

In a February response to the Islamabad High Court, the Ministry of Climate Change said prior approval was mandatory for tree cutting and raised concerns that the operation had been carried out without the required consultation with environmental authorities.

F-9 Park, officially known as Fatima Jinnah Park, has itself been at the centre of the controversy. The CDA previously told the Supreme Court that about 7,000 paper mulberry trees had been removed from designated areas of the park in 2024, with the authority saying the operation was intended to reduce pollen allergies and would be followed by replantation.