The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman and other respondents to submit a report on a contempt petition alleging violation of its order restraining tree felling in the federal capital.
The petition, filed by Muhammad Naveed Ahmed, claimed that despite the court’s January 15, 2026 order, the CDA began work on expanding Ataturk Avenue, uprooting and transplanting mature trees, including in environmentally sensitive areas like Shakarparian. Lawyers argued that transplantation cannot justify defying the court’s directive and that the actions undermine citizens’ right to a clean environment.
The newly appointed CDA chairman has been made a party to the petition, with requests for initiation of contempt proceedings, his personal appearance in court, and suspension of the project.
The court issued notices to all concerned parties and adjourned the hearing indefinitely. The writ petition originally challenged the legality of deforestation in Islamabad, including the removal of roughly 29,000 paper mulberry trees in 2025.
Environmental group WWF-Pakistan has also questioned the authorities’ claim that tree felling was solely for pollen control, linking it to infrastructure development.
