ISLAMABAD: Adviser to prime minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam Khan on Tuesday announced a complete ban on the trees cutting in the federal capital to protect the environment of the city.

Talking to media during his visit to the Embassy Road tree plantation site, he said that more than 197 trees have been cut down during previous government only on the Embassy Road green belt for extension of the road. However, he said that the government would never allow any kind of trees cutting in the future.

The adviser said that he would write a letter to the Ministry of Interior Affairs to re-open the road along the embassy for the traffic. He said that the Ministry of Climate Change would also introduce shifting of trees through transplanting to avoid environmental issues due to the trees cutting.

He said that the streams and nullahs were polluted in the capital city, so it was the responsibility of the civic body to keep these streams and nullahs clean to avoid any kind of environmental issues. Under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said a social working group was established to work on various issues including the environment.

He said that the environmental issues were the top priority of the present government. He said that the government was working on the plan to introduce policies and initiate projects which would for the protection of the environment in the country. He said that the ministry would also plant more trees on the Embassy Road and other sites.

He appreciated the role of the media in highlighting the environmental issues. He said onward media would be appreciated if identify any kind of trees cutting in the capital city. Ministry of Climate Change Secretary Khizer Hayat Khan and other senior officials of the ministry were also present on the occasion.

Replying a question, he said that the next phase of the tree plantations would be started in January, adding that budget would be allocated for the ten billion trees project by the government.