ISLAMABAD: The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) has refuted the allegations regarding its involvement in felling of mango trees in Multan and termed such reports in the media as “misleading and factually incorrect”.

In a statement on Wednesday, the DHA Multan clarified that it had nothing to do with the uncalled-for act and strongly refuted the ongoing “malicious campaign”.

The DHA said a private housing society launched in March 2021 in Multan, located on Shujahabad Road, had resorted to denuding mango trees at a massive scale. However, it added, a malicious campaign was initiated where cutting of trees was attributed to the DHA.

The DHA, it said, on the contrary, had always remained instrumental in environment-friendly ini­tiatives while planning and executing developments in the acquired land. The clarification came in response to a statement issued by Pakistan Peo­ples Party secretary general Farhatullah Babar on March 22 in which he had expressed concern over reports of denuding of mango orchards and conversion of the land into an urban property over the past years by the DHA in Multan. He had called for a transparent inquiry into these reports.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2021