I USED to often visit Nathia Gali with my parents in the 1980s and 1990s to enjoy the natural beauty, tranquillity and peace. It was a place where one could go for long walks alone or with family, and one could smell the pine trees and hear the chirping of birds. However, I regret to say that under the current provincial government, Nathia Gali has been ruined and devastated by commercialism, as buildings, restaurants and shops are popping up all the way up to Nathia Gali.

Someone in the government seems to be profiteering from allowing this cons-truction, which leads to the destruction of the natural flora. Nathia Gali has also become a hub for the hotel and water supplier mafia, which only supplies drinking water to the guesthouses, dep-riving genuine homeowners of water.

I could go on and on, but the picture is quite clear. The provincial chief minister needs to take notice of this destruction of what was once a beautiful paradise.

MNA Isphanyar M. Bhandara
Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2025