LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday warned the authority of halting a parking project at Nasser Bagh if concerns of experts and civil society are not addressed.

Justice Shahid Karim observed that Nasser Bagh and other historic sites are an integral part of Lahore’s identity and their significance must be taken into consideration before initiating any development project.

During the hearing of various petitions related to smog and environmental pollution, architect Raza Ali Dada told the court that the proposed parking project was not suitable for the Nasser Bagh location.

The judge directed the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general to address the architect’s concerns about the project, warning if the objections were not resolved the project would have to be halted. He judge remarked that cutting trees and eliminating green spaces are unacceptable. He said the development must be green and sustainable.

Justice Karim further directed the LDA DG to hold a meeting regarding the project on Dec 16 and submit a report on the next hearing. The judge instructed the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) to carry out tree plantation strictly in accordance with the law. He said the PHA should not launch projects in collaboration with NGOs in violation of statutory provisions.

To a query, the PHA’s counsel told the court that Lahore had 804 small and large parks. The judge ordered the restoration of all parks to a satisfactory condition and the removal of encroachments. He highlighted the importance of restoring parks so that children can play there. The judge will resume hearing on Dec 19.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2025