A century-old tree collapsed on a road connecting Frisco Chowk to Jamia Cloth Market in Karachi on Wednesday, triggering concern among residents and environmental activists.
The tree fell while construction work for shops was underway along the roadside. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far, though the incident caused disruption to traffic in the busy commercial area.
According to residents, the tree was more than 100 years old and had been a landmark in the neighborhood for decades.
They alleged that the trunk of the tree had been deliberately weakened by injecting chemicals into it before it eventually collapsed.
Residents have demanded a transparent investigation to determine whether the tree was intentionally damaged to make way for commercial development.
Officials from the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Parks Department said teams were immediately dispatched to remove the fallen tree and restore traffic flow.
