ISLAMABAD, Sept 13: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has demanded suspension of the New Murree Project and setting up of an independent commission of experts to review the scheme before its implementation.

He was speaking at a joint press conference with MNA Mian Mohammad Aslam of the MMA and Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari of the PPP at the PTI central secretariat on Tuesday.

The PTI chief said the serious ecological, social and long- term negative economic impact of the project on the region justified the demand for an independent commission of experts.

Imran said the proposed city at Patriata forest had been planned without conducting any detailed scientific study. He said even the former British colonial rulers had declared the Patriata area as reserved forests in 1886.

After one hundred years, the Japan International Cooperation Agency also endorsed that the groundwater reservoir of Rawalpindi/Islamabad was being recharged from Murree/Patriata hills.

An IUCN report has also warned of serious environmental consequences if the project was implemented, he added.

Imran accused the Punjab government of working in collusion with the land mafia as they stood to gain billions of rupees from land transfer and related development of precious Patriata forests.

The PTI chief said despite a meagre forest cover in Punjab, which is only 0.03 per cent of total area, 4,111 acres of Patriata forestland had been allotted to the New Murree Development Authority for the new project.

He said the new city, which would be five times bigger than Murree city, would cause permanent loss to quality and quantity of water for the region including Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Listing the negative impacts of the project, he said the project would destroy Simly Dam, which contributed 62 per cent of total drinking water supply to Islamabad.

He said the project would also undermine the Mangla Dam Raising Project costing Rs62.552 billion and foreign exchange of Rs9.678 billion.