- Late-year allergy cases dropped from over 2,300 in 2023 to 1,031 in 2025 following targeted tree removal
- Overall allergy prevalence fell from 8% in 2023 to 33.3% in 2025, despite population growth
- So far, 29,115 paper mulberry trees have been uprooted under the eradication drive
- High-density pollen zones such as F-9 Park and Shakarparian are being prioritised for clearance
- Under a 3:1 restoration policy, three native trees are planted for every paper mulberry removed
- By April 2026, about 90,000 indigenous trees are expected to be planted across the capital.
ISLAMABAD, Jan 22 (ABC): Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Malik briefed a Senate Standing Committee on the Paper Mulberry Management and Ecological Restoration programme in the Islamabad Capital Territory, describing it as a major public health and environmental intervention to address the capital’s long-standing pollen crisis.
The briefing was given to the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, chaired by Sherry Rehman. Dr Malik told the committee that Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera), an invasive non-native species introduced between the 1960s and 1980s, is responsible for around 94 percent of Islamabad’s total pollen burden.
He said Islamabad has been facing a severe pollen problem for more than two decades, with total pollen counts peaking at an unprecedented 82,000 grains per cubic metre in 2022. According to the minister, Paper Mulberry pollen is particularly hazardous because its fine particles penetrate deep into the lungs, causing severe allergic rhinitis, acute asthma attacks and, in extreme cases, life-threatening status asthmaticus.
Terming the initiative a critical public health measure, Dr Malik informed the committee that the ecological restoration programme is expected to reduce respiratory allergies in the capital by more than 40 percent, easing seasonal pressure on hospitals and emergency departments.
He shared data from the National Institutes of Health Allergy Center, showing that late-year allergy cases declined from more than 2,300 in 2023 to 1,031 in 2025 following targeted removal efforts. Overall allergy prevalence also fell from 45.8 percent in 2023 to 33.3 percent in 2025, indicating a reduced per-capita risk despite population growth.
The minister said that to prevent aggressive resprouting, the ministry, in coordination with the Capital Development Authority, is implementing a strict three-step eradication protocol involving cutting, complete uprooting of the root system and soil compaction. Of the approximately 80,000 Paper Mulberry trees identified for removal across Islamabad, 29,115 have been cleared so far, with priority given to high-density areas such as F-9 Park and Shakarparian.
He added that ecological restoration is a core component of the programme. Under a 3:1 restoration policy, three indigenous trees are being planted for every Paper Mulberry removed. By April 2026, around 90,000 native trees — including kachnar, amaltas, desi toot and drought-resilient pilkan — are expected to be planted to help restore the capital’s natural ecosystem.
The committee was told that the initiative is being supported through public-private partnerships, with contributions from organizations including Oil and Gas Development Company Limited, MIRA Power and Beaconhouse.
Concluding the briefing, Dr Malik said the programme aligns Islamabad with international best practices in urban environmental health governance adopted in countries such as the United States and Australia. He expressed hope that by April 2026 the project would be completed in line with approved technical protocols, resulting in sustained control of seasonal pollen levels and a measurable reduction in pollen-related allergic and respiratory illnesses in the federal capital.
