Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Sunday that the upcoming upgrade of Islamabad's F-9 Park will not involve cutting a single tree and will not add any new concrete structures.
"Let me make it absolutely clear that not a single tree will be cut, 100% guaranteed," Naqvi posted on X.
What the Upgrade Will Include
Naqvi explained that the plan for Fatima Jinnah Park, known as F-9 Park, features improved lighting, a new lake, coffee shops and better walkways.
He also said thousands of additional trees will be planted in the park.
"Our only goal is to make F-9 Park greener, safer, more beautiful, and more enjoyable for families and visitors," he added.
Why Residents Were Worried
The clarification followed videos shared by environmental activists and schoolteachers on Instagram, urging authorities not to develop the roughly 400-acre park "for the sake of development" and to focus on planting more trees.
Concern grew after Naqvi announced on October 21 that the government was reconstructing F-9 Park and intended to develop four new parks in the capital based on its model.
The park has previously been at the centre of a tree-cutting controversy. In 2023, the CDA began removing about 7,000 paper mulberry trees to address pollen allergies, later informing the Supreme Court that replantation was in progress.
Earlier this year, the government also announced plans for a new forest in Islamabad larger than F-9 Park.
