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By Andleeb Khan
Islamabad, June 22 (app): When Islamabad is exposed to another punitive heat wave with “felt” temperatures to 50 ° C, the shrinking tree covering of the city transforms the entire sectors into thermal traps. In quarters in which there are still tire trees, the residents find a refuge from the scorching sun – but in many areas the lack of shadow makes life unbearable. The changing climate of capital is no longer a warning – it is a lived reality that urgently demands measures both the citizens' authorities and the citizens.
In areas such as F-6 and parts of E-7, ripe trees, Peepal, Bohar and Amaltas-Die streets are more than beautified. They reduce the temperatures, enable breeze and enable residents to sit outdoors even during ceremonial afternoons.
But the situation changes dramatically in places such as G-6, G-7, G-14 and G-14. Here the tree covering is sparse or consists of younger trees that offer minimal cooling. “The streets feel like stoves,” said Kamran Khan, a resident of G-6. “The sun burns from above and the heat radiates from below. There is no escape.”
Islamabad urgently needs thousands of new trees, especially in fast urban sectors such as G-14, G-14, H-sectors and Bhara Kahu. But not only some trees need the city of local, air-conditioned species that offer real shadows and cooling advantages.
“Trees are no longer a luxury,” said Noreen, a resident of the G-7. “If we want to survive these summer, we need shadows, not just more specific.”
A major misstep was the widespread planting of Safeda (Eucalyptus) trees. Although they grow quickly, these trees are now criticized for consuming large amounts of groundwater, delivering little shade and the soil remain warmer. “It could grow quickly, but there is very little back,” wrote a affected citizen on Facebook. “We need trees that help the environment, not just the room.”
The environmental expert Nasir Ali Panhwar warns of deteriorating effects of urban heat in rapidly growing cities like Islamabad. It emphasizes the importance of natural solutions, including extensive tree plantations and green infrastructure such as green roofs and vertical gardens. “This not only cool urban areas, but also restore the biological diversity and improve air quality,” he said.
The climate threat grows and is reinforced by rapid urbanization and the unchecked population growth. According to Global Forest Watch, Pakistan lost 5.35,000 thousand hectares of tree covering between 2001 and 2024 and 4.19,000 hectares against other causes. In just one week from June 8th to 15th, 2025, alarmed across the country were recorded. This marks a steep increase compared to previous years.
Under the leadership of chairman Muhammad Ali Randhawa, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) launched an ambitious tree planting campaign to plant a million trees during the spring and monsoon. But experts warn that it is not enough to plant the right customs in the right places.
Naseer Memon, a leading voice in terms of climate change and urban planning, paints a dark picture: “Our cities will quickly become mini-hell. Green belts disappear, replaced by unchecked infrastructure.
Memon calls for aggressive social forest measures that are enforced by the construction of control agencies. “Every new structure should be commissioned to plant and promote trees until they reach maturity,” he said. “Cosmetic plantation drives do not solve the problem. Trees are a natural -based solution for improving microclimate in cities that are exposed to severe and frequent heat waves.”
When Islamabad was founded at the end of the 1960s, it was planned as a green city, which was surrounded by forests and was covered by almost two thirds of its country by trees. Over the decades, the fast urban growth and development have dramatically reduced this tree cover. Today remains less than a third of the city's original forest area, which makes the loss of green a visible and urgent challenge for the climate and the residents of the capital.
While Islamabad is further expanded, experts and residents also demand clever urban forest strategies. The planting of locals, air -conditioned trees is not just about comfort, but about survival, in view of the escalation climate change and global warming.