CHITRAL. Aug 5, 2025 — Two 300-year-old chinar trees may fall within hours. Commercial contractors plan to cut them for a new building.
The trees stand in the way of the project. Shahzada Sirajul Mulk, a respected elder and hotelier, is fighting to save them.
“These trees have shaded millions in my lifetime,” he said. “We went to the police. We pleaded with the contractors. They sped up the work instead.”
For centuries, these chinars cooled summers, sheltered travelers, and marked Chitral’s identity. Now, no authority has stepped in to stop the chainsaws.
Environmentalists and elders demand urgent action from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, the Forest Department, and the district administration. They say the trees qualify for heritage protection if officials order an immediate halt.
Chainsaws are ready. Once the trees are gone, they are gone forever.
Local historians note that chinar trees are woven into Chitral’s cultural heritage, appearing in poetry, oral history, and family traditions. These particular trees were planted during the princely state era, making them not just environmental assets but living monuments.
Residents warn that the loss of such ancient trees will also worsen heat in summer and erode the town’s beauty.
“We can build new houses, but we can’t grow 300-year-old trees again,” said one shopkeeper standing near the site.