Islamabad’s Falling Trees and the Sign of Changing Times

Tree cutting is continuing in Islamabad with full force. When the capital was shifted to Islamabad, these trees were planted at the same time.

Entire forests were deliberately grown so that this city could remain close to nature—peaceful and balanced. Today, the sudden cutting down of those very trees is not merely an administrative decision; it is a clear sign of changing times.

When trees are cut, it is not just wood that is lost. Birds migrate, animals are displaced, and insects are forced to abandon their habitats. And this process will not stop here.

Interference with nature ultimately affects human beings as well. When the environment deteriorates, human peace, behavior, and way of life are also disturbed.

I have not visited Islamabad for the past six years. I live close to Islamabad, yet during this period our entry into the city has been made almost impossible.

Except for a few limited occasions, access has remained closed. Places that were once open to everyone are now marked by barriers, restrictions, and silence.

It is being reported that complete clearing of trees is also underway in Shakarparian and other areas.

This indiscriminate cutting of trees will turn the city’s calm into chaos. A city that once resonated with the sounds of birds is now heading toward becoming a center of noise, smoke, and restlessness.

Times are truly changing. The footsteps can be heard. It feels as though these trees are being seen for the last time.

The city’s order is being altered; everything is migrating—nature, peace, balance, everything.

Nature conveys many things to us through signs, but we choose not to understand.

What is going to happen, no one knows, but the sudden cutting of trees is tantamount to rendering the city desolate.

Now is the time that will force us to regain our balance and reassess ourselves. This is not just a test of the city, but of our consciousness and our conscience.

When Chak Shahzad farmhouses and personal interests are given priority, when everything is distributed into a few hands, the question arises: where are the arrangements for ordinary citizens’ food, their water, their milk, and their future?

History bears witness that decisions driven by greed can change everything in an instant.

Islamabad’s trees were not just trees; they were the soul of this city. And without a soul, a city is nothing more than a concrete structure.

Roma Mahmood

Islamabad

8 January 2026