The project at UC-6 includes around 600 trees, while two more urban forests are planned in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.
KARACHI: Land reclaimed from illegal occupation in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town’s Union Council 6 has been transformed into an urban forest as part of efforts to expand green spaces and improve the city’s environment.
Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi chief Munim Zafar formally inaugurated the urban forest established near Asma Garden. The ceremony was attended by Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town Municipal Corporation Chairman Dr Fawad Ahmed, Jamaat-e-Islami District East chief Naeem Akhtar, UC Chairman Nasir Ashfaq, UC Vice Chairman Adil Muhammad, Town Coordinator Kamran Chishti, other local representatives and area residents.
Speaking at the ceremony, Munim Zafar said establishing urban forests was essential for making Karachi greener and more environmentally resilient. He said around 600 trees had been planted at the Metroville 3 urban forest, while hundreds of trees planted at the University of Karachi last year had already grown substantially.
Zafar said the initiative to promote roadside forests and revive parks was continuing across the city. With climate change contributing to rapidly changing weather patterns, he said increasing tree cover was particularly important in a densely built city such as Karachi.
He also highlighted the need to protect existing trees, particularly those affected by development projects. According to Zafar, planting new trees alone was not enough and greater attention needed to be given to their long-term protection.
Appealing to residents, he urged every citizen to plant at least one tree and take responsibility for its care. He said community participation was essential for protecting trees and parks and creating a greener Karachi.
Two More Urban Forests Planned
Dr Fawad Ahmed said greenery and trees were vital for addressing the effects of climate change. He said the town had already established two urban forests in Gulshan-e-Iqbal — one at the University of Karachi and another near Asma Garden.
He said hundreds of trees at the Asma Garden urban forest had already grown, while construction of its boundary wall would be completed soon.
According to Ahmed, the site had previously been used for parking, with dump trucks parked there at night and a weekly market operating on Thursdays. Attempts had also been made to reoccupy the land and disrupt the project, but public cooperation helped transform the site into an urban forest.
Ahmed announced that two additional urban forests would be established in UC-3 and UC-5, while work was also beginning to restore and expand green belts across Gulshan-e-Iqbal.
Residents Play Key Role in Protecting Green Space
UC Chairman Nasir Ashfaq said the Asma Garden urban forest had completed one year and was now being formally inaugurated.
He said local residents had played an important role in watering and protecting the trees. The project, he added, demonstrated how elected representatives and communities could work together to reclaim land and convert it into a public space that provides environmental benefits.
The Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town Municipal Corporation said efforts to expand tree plantations, establish urban forests and restore green belts and parks would continue as part of its broader drive to improve the area’s environment.
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