The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday ordered the Capital Development Authority (CDA) not to cut trees until February 2. Issuing a four-page order, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro also issued notices to the CDA, Ministry for Climate Change and Environmental Protection Agency. The high court also directed the Ministry of Climate Change and other parties to submit detailed replies by next hearing.

Quoting the petitioner, the court said that trees had been cut in Islamabad in violation of the Environmental Protection Act. “The petitioner further said that by doing so, the CDA and other departments violated the Islamabad Wildlife Ordinance and the federal capital’s Master Plan,” read the order. Besides that, the court went on to say, as per the petitioner, the CDA had not given the reasons why thousands of trees had been cut.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)