Punjab Forest Dept & Faisal Town Plant Trees in Margalla Hills

Margalla Hills are finally getting the attention they deserve. The Punjab Forest Department and Faisal Town Group have launched a joint tree-planting campaign targeting forest zones near Taxila that have been severely damaged by decades of unprecedented stone-crushing.

Launch at a Glance

A formal tree plantation campaign was launched at Faisal Hills, right next to Margalla Hills
Hundreds of saplings were planted on the spot during the ceremony
Green balloons were released to mark the official start
MNAs Asiya Tunoli and Mohsin Ayub Khan attended alongside forest and housing officials
Students from local schools and colleges also participated

The Numbers

500,000 saplings — all going into Taxila’s most damaged forest zones this year
Coverage spans Taxila, Rawalpindi, Murree, and Kahuta districts
48,368 acres already under plantation provincewide through Green Punjab

Why Margalla Hills?

Taxila’s stone crushing industry stripped the Margalla Hills forests bare over the decades
Supreme Court ordered crushing suspended in 2020 — and forest restoration to begin
Deforestation, encroachments, and poaching piled on further damage
250–300 plant species and rare wildlife, including the Cheer Pheasant, call these hills home
Rising smog and climate change mean every lost tree now costs more than before

Punjab Forest Department’s Plan

Chief Conservator Iftikhar-ul-Hassan Farooqi outlined a phased and systematic restoration plan.
Youth are being engaged as green ambassadors across schools and colleges
Women-specific plantation drives are being organized for wider community participation
The campaign runs under CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s Plant for Pakistan initiative
Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb is directly overseeing the Green Punjab rollout

Faisal Town Group’s Green Commitment

The group reaffirmed Vision 2040’s positioning of Faisal Hills as a model green housing society.
Miyawaki Forest is already operational in Block C, acting as a dense wildlife sanctuary.
A dedicated aviary is proposed for local ecosystem preservation
Faisal Hills sits directly next to Margalla Hills National Park — making this commitment natural
The group sees green infrastructure as part of its long-term project identity

What’s Next?

The Punjab Protection of Trees Act 2025 is pending and will ban urban tree cutting.
District-level Parks and Horticulture Authorities are being established to combat smog.
Spring Tree Plantation Campaign to continue through the season
More joint drives between government departments and private developers are expected

The Takeaway:

Half a million trees. One damaged hillside. Two partners are finally taking action. Margalla Hills have waited long enough. Half a million saplings are in the ground, the phased restoration plan is underway, and, for once, the government and the private sector are both showing up. That’s how forest recovery actually starts.