Govt bans cutting down trees in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Advisor to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam Khan Tuesday announced a  complete ban on cutting down trees in Islamabad to protect the environment of the capital city.

Talking to media during his visit to the Embassy Road trees plantation Site, Amin said more than 197 trees have been cut down during previous government only on the Embassy Road green belt for extension of road.

He said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government will never allow any kind of trees cutting in the future.

The advisor said he will write a letter to the Ministry of Interior to re-open the road along embassy for the traffic.

The adviser said the ministry of Climate Change would also introduce shifting of trees through transplanting to avoid environment issues due to the trees cutting.

He said the streams and nullahs are polluted in the capital city, adding that it is the responsibility of the civic body to keep these streams and nullahs clean to avoid any kind of environmental issues.

He said under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a social working group was established to work on various issues including environment.

He said ministry would also plant more trees on Embassy Road and other sites.

Ministry of Climate Change Secretary Khizer Hayat Khan and other senior officials of the ministry were also present on the occasion.

Replying a question, he said next phase of tree plantations would be started in January, adding that budget would be allocated for the ten billion trees project bya the government.