ISLAMABAD: Despite a district-wide ban on all forms of construction, large-scale illegal development is continuing unabated in parts of Murree, exposing serious lapses in enforcement by the Municipal Corporation Murree (MCM).
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Murree Agha Zaheer Abbas Shirazi had imposed a blanket prohibition on new construction across the hill station to safeguard its environment and regulate urban expansion. However, reports from the Chattar area indicate that unauthorised housing schemes, including the so-called “Judicial Town” and “Baroha Farm House,” are carrying out building work in open defiance of the order.
Local residents allege that municipal staff are not only failing to implement the ban but are complicit in the illegal activities. According to community members, more than half a dozen unauthorised projects are underway with heavy machinery operating day and night, destroying the area’s peace and natural surroundings.
Speaking to reporters, Baroha residents complained that unchecked construction has led to noise, dust and environmental degradation. They said previous crackdowns on these sites under past administrations did not yield lasting results, as the developers resumed work soon after.
Citizens have now appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, MNA Raja Osama Asfaq Sarwar and the Murree district administration to step in and halt the illegal activity immediately. They stressed that the continuing construction not only violates the DC’s directives but also undermines efforts to control unplanned urban sprawl in Murree.
Environmentalists warn that such unchecked developments could have long-term repercussions on Murree’s fragile ecosystem, already under strain from unregulated tourism and infrastructure pressure.
Locals have urged the deputy commissioner to take decisive action against officials who fail to enforce the ban and to launch a transparent inquiry into alleged collusion between MCM staff and developers. They have also demanded confiscation of heavy machinery operating on illegal sites and strict penalties for violators to restore public confidence.
Without firm enforcement, residents warn, the ban risks becoming meaningless. “We expect the administration to act now, not just issue notices,” one local elder said. “The law must be applied equally to protect our environment and our quality of life.”
The district administration has yet to issue an updated statement on how it plans to curb these violations.
