ISLAMABAD: A major political and environmental controversy has erupted over the proposed 1000 kanal park at the foothills of the Margalla Hills, with Pakistan Peoples Party strongly opposing the project and warning of severe ecological consequences.

The plan, announced following a high level meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, aims to develop a large public park near Sector D 12. However, PPP Human Rights Cell General Secretary Malaika Raza has termed the initiative ecological terrorism and a direct threat to Islamabad’s natural landscape.

In a strongly worded statement, she said the Margalla Hills are not a commercial zone but a protected ecological asset that plays a vital role in maintaining the city’s environmental balance. She warned that ongoing deforestation and construction pressures are already eroding Islamabad’s green identity.

Raza claimed that over 29000 trees have been cut due to government backed projects, adding that further development without public consultation could worsen climate risks including heatwaves floods and water shortages. She stressed that the hills act as a natural shield regulating temperature and sustaining groundwater.

The PPP leader also linked the issue to broader concerns of displacement and environmental injustice, citing recent demolitions in surrounding areas and the potential impact on local communities and wildlife habitats. She argued that replacing forests with concrete would have long term social and ecological costs.

Despite the opposition, the Capital Development Authority plans to move ahead with the project alongside a proposed cricket stadium and Olympic Village in the same zone. However, legal and zoning challenges remain, as commercial activities in Zone III require federal approval, intensifying the debate over development versus conservation in the capital.