SHC continues restraining order against felling of trees in city

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has continued its restraining order against the cutting of trees in the city by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).

Issuing its interim order on the petition of a citizen who has challenged the tree-felling drive of the KMC on Shaheed-e-Millat Road, the SHC directed the KMC and the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) to file their comments on the petition.

The petitioner said that claiming that Conocarpus trees are harming the environment and human health, the KMC’s park department has decided to fell them and plant local trees of Neem, Cassia, Peepal, etc. in their place “in the best interest of people”.

He said the city is experiencing an extreme heatwave, so planting saplings of trees after cutting Conocarpus trees would not serve the purpose. The KMC should initiate a tree planting drive first but not fell the Conocarpus trees during this extremely hot weather, he added.

He requested the court to restrain the KMC from felling Conocarpus and other trees in the city. An SHC division bench headed by Justice Arshad Hussain Khan said that notices were not served on the respondents.

The bench repeated notices to the KMC, the health department, Sepa and others, telling them to file their comments on the next date of hearing. The court restrained the KMC from felling trees in the limits of Karachi in the meantime.

Free-will marriage

The SHC also directed the police to provide protection to a couple who are facing threats over marrying against the will of their family members. Petitioner Kiran said she had married Bilawal against the wishes of her family members, who then registered a kidnapping case against her husband and other family members.

She said they are facing threats to their lives as they have been declared Karo-Kari by the local Jirga, adding that they seek protection for their lives.

The court issued notices to the Thatta police and others, and directed the police not to arrest the petitioner’s husband or other family members in connection with the case until the next date of hearing.