The Lahore High Court (LHC) issued notices to the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) and other officials after a petition raised concerns about trees being cut in Nasir Bagh despite previous court orders.
Advocate Azhar Siddique filed the petition, highlighting that authorities often apologize after such incidents but fail to take meaningful action. The court has adjourned the next hearing until December 5.
The petition also cited earlier tree-cutting, including a banyan tree in the Cantonment area, stressing the urgent need to protect urban greenery and prevent further environmental degradation in Lahore.
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Meanwhile, a citizen from Pakpattan donated 10,000 saplings to Lahore as part of a plantation drive under the Punjab Forest Department’s Community Engagement Forestry Programme, aiming to combat smog and expand green spaces.
The drive, held at Karol Forest across 14 acres, involved schoolchildren, volunteers, and forest officials planting native trees such as peepal, jamun, and neem. Director General Azfar Zia praised the initiative as a reflection of community spirit.
Read more : LHC disposes of petitions against Punjab LG Act 2022
Environmental philanthropist Ghulam Rasool, who spearheaded the donation, said planting trees is his life mission. He hopes to plant 500 million trees in his lifetime, emphasizing that real change requires citizen participation alongside institutional support.