ISLAMABAD – Federal capital Islamabad has long been admired for its picturesque avenues lined with lush green trees and scenic landscapes; however, recent development projects and the cutting of trees along key roads have sparked growing concern among residents and environmentalists, who fear that the city’s iconic greenery is gradually being sacrificed in the name of infrastructure expansion.
The recent fury stemmed from road widening along Ataturk Avenue which led to removal of dozens of trees, igniting anger among residents, environmentalists, and civic activists.
Heavy machinery has rolled onto the iconic stretch from Express Chowk to Ayub Chowk, where cranes and hydraulic breakers are tearing down pedestrian pathways and dismantling roadside infrastructure to make way for an expanded roadway. The once-green corridor now echoes with the sounds of demolition, leaving many residents alarmed at the pace and scale of the transformation.
A video received by Pakistan Observer shows crane-mounted hydraulic breaker smashing the pedestrian footpath while construction crews oversee the operation. According to the current plan, every tree located to the right of the marked white line along the avenue is being removed.
Locals said the capital, long celebrated for its lush avenues and urban greenery, risks losing its environmental identity in the name of rapid infrastructure expansion. “Islamabad was designed as a green city. If trees keep disappearing like this, what will remain of that vision?” questioned a concerned environmentalist who filmed the site work.
Capital Development Authority (CDA), which operates under the Interior Ministry, has yet to provide a detailed explanation of the project or clarify whether a tree replacement or environmental mitigation plan exists. The silence has only deepened public frustration as the debate over development versus conservation intensifies.
Adding to the disruption, authorities have announced a complete traffic closure on Ataturk Avenue between Express Chowk and Ayub Chowk starting March 31, 2026, lasting until the completion of the widening project. Commuters have been directed to follow alternative routes via Shaheed-e-Millat Road, China Chowk Underpass, Press Club Road, and Aga Khan Road when traveling toward Islamabad Marriott Hotel.
Environmental advocates warn that this is not an isolated incident. Just weeks earlier, there was tree cutting in the Shakarparian area left large sections near Lok Virsa barren, raising similar concerns. While CDA claimed only paper mulberry trees, blamed for triggering seasonal pollen allergies, were removed, many residents dispute claim and fear that more diverse tree species may have been lost.
Authorities are urged to reveal transparent environmental assessments and ensure that development does not come at the irreversible cost of Islamabad’s cherished green cover.
Islamabad High Court orders CDA to immediately halt trees cutting
