LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday sought a report from the Parks and Horticulture Authority showing statistics of trees felled in the provincial metropolis in the wake of different mega projects, including Orange Line Metro Train, Gulberg signal-free corridor and widening of Canal Road.

PTI leader Andleeb Abbas filed a petition questioning extensive cutting down of the trees and the government failure to implement environment policy regarding forestation.

Advocate Sheraz Zaka argued the Punjab government had given an undertaking before the Supreme Court that 10 trees would be planted against each felled tree. He alleged the government did not fulfill its undertaking. He said the fundamental rights of citizens were at stake and Lahore city was becoming one of the most polluted cities in the world due to the rampant deforestation.

The lawyer pointed out that the provincial government in 2015 issued environmental policy that envisaged plantation of trees but neither the policy nor undertaking before the apex court was materialised.

Justice Ayesha A. Malik directed the PHA director general to submit a detailed reply on the matter by the last week of February.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2017