Naqvi says no trees will be cut at Islamabad's F-9 Park

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Sunday that no trees will be cut at Islamabad's F-9 Park, officially Fatima Jinnah Park, and that no new concrete structures will be built there. He made the statement in a post on X.

According to Naqvi, the planned improvements include better lighting, a lake, coffee shops and improved walkways. He said thousands of additional trees will be planted. He described the aim as making the park greener, safer, more beautiful and more enjoyable for families and visitors.

The statement came in response to a video that environmental activist and schoolteacher Usman shared on Instagram. In it, Usman said the park, which covers around 400 acres, matters for the city's environment and for future generations.

Usman said that around 2.45 billion litres of rainwater fall on the park's area each year before soaking into the ground and adding to groundwater reserves. He urged the authorities not to develop the park for the sake of development, and asked them to plant more trees and a wider variety of species to increase greenery and improve air quality. He also asked that huge structures not be built and that the park not be turned into a high-rise park.

On October 21, Naqvi had announced plans to revamp F-9 Park along the lines of London's Hyde Park. He said the government planned to renovate the park and develop four new parks in the capital.

The exchange follows months of controversy over tree cutting in Islamabad. The CDA removed more than 29,000 paper mulberry trees as part of a drive to address pollen allergies, in areas including F-9 Park, Shakarparian and some residential sectors. The authority said the removal had scientific and legal grounds and that the trees would be replaced with indigenous species suited to the environment.

The felling drew criticism from environmental advocates and residents. In a February response to the Islamabad High Court, the Ministry of Climate Change said prior approval was mandatory for tree cutting and raised concerns that the operation had been carried out without the required consultation with environmental authorities. The CDA had also told the Supreme Court that about 7,000 paper mulberry trees were removed from designated areas of F-9 Park in 2024, and said replantation would follow.