CDA restrained from tree-cutting in F-9 Park

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued a written order in a suo motu case regarding the felling of trees in F-9 Park. The apex court, while expressing reservations about cutting other trees with pepper mulberry, restrained the Capital Development Authority (CDA) from cutting the trees for the time being. The top court has also decided to take the assistance of two former IG Forests on the matter while maintaining the ban on felling of trees till the next hearing of the case. The court issued notice to former IG Forests Mahmood Nasir and Ghulam Qadir for assistance. The court order further said, according to the CDA, pepper mulberry trees causing pollination were cut down whereas all other trees were cut down according to the report and photos of the court-appointed commission. According to CDA, the contract for felling trees was given to a contractor. CDA also has 4,500 gardeners of its own. The court was told that the CDA did not have the tools to cut trees. The court said the CDA could not give a satisfactory reply as to why the contract was not awarded only for the cutting of pepper mulberry trees. There are reservations about the way all the trees were cleared, the court order said.