LHC orders: Buzdar to set up commission for preventing tree theft

MULTAN: The Lahore High Court Multan Bench has directed the Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to constitute a commission to prevent theft of trees planted along the roads and canals due to sensitivity of the whole affair. The court also ordered the chief minister to submit a report in this connection within a month, a petitioner’s counsel said.

Earlier, the petitioner and LLB student Hamza Tahir filed a petition Wednesday before Justice Shan Gul of the Multan Bench. Ch Tahir Mehmood, counsel for the petitioner said millions of trees were planted all over the country, particularly in Punjab, on both sides of canals, roads and Rajabahas. Sheesham and other valuable trees have been felled in Muzaffargarh and Layyah districts since 1947.

The petitioner said timber mafia in collaboration with the government officials, have felled hundreds of trees from canals and roads. He said the government could get a good amount of money from the auction of old trees and the environment could be saved from pollution by planting new trees. “Weather is changing all over the world due to brutal felling of trees. A global campaign against deforestation has been launched and they should also realise it,” he added.