ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Health Dr Mukhtar Bharath said the government was showing commitment to control pollen allergy and the process to remove over 5,000 out of 7,000 trees in F-9 Park had been completed.

He claimed that the remaining trees will be removed by April followed by planting of environmental-friendly saplings. Chairing a meeting, he said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed to eliminate the issue of pollen allergy in the federal capital.

The meeting focused on the strategies to effectively tackle the increasing problem of pollen allergy as almost every family has at least one member suffering from the allergy.

Environment experts from the CDA briefed the meeting about the ongoing measures for the removal of wild mulberry trees which have been identified as the primary contributor to pollen allergies.

Dr Mukhtar stated that under the directives of the prime minister the government was committed to implementing effective measures to control pollen allergies in Islamabad. He said environment experts considered wild mulberry trees as the leading cause of allergic reactions due to pollen release.

“To address this, a comprehensive strategy has been developed which is now in the execution phase,” he added. He said the process of cutting down over 5,000 out of 7,000 trees in F-9 Park had been completed.

“The phased removal of wild mulberry trees is ongoing as part of our commitment to eliminate pollen allergies. Simultaneously, we are planting new environmentally friendly trees to promote a healthier ecosystem,” he said.

He said the action plan for cutting down trees in H-8 and H-9 sectors near Shakarparian had also been executed. By April, the remaining trees will be removed.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2025