- One million mangroves to be planted in Sindh, Balochistan
Pakistan Navy, in line with the vision of the government, launched “Pakistan Navy – Mangroves Plantation Campaign 2017” in the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan on the eve of Independence Day.
Naval Staff chief Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah graced the occasion as a chief guest and inaugurated the campaign by planting sapling of mangroves.
The campaign entails an effort to plant over one million mangroves in the said areas.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by a large number of senior military and civil officials, including representatives from business community, journalists, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), officials from federal and provincial forest departments.
While speaking on the occasion, the chief guest lamented that the deforestation of mangroves has not only affected biodiversity of coastal areas but also livelihoods of coastal communities.
Zakaullah said that these campaigns will not only increase the mangrove forest cover but will also play a key role in raising awareness among the masses about the importance of these forests.
The naval chief urged the relevant federal, provincial institutions and all sections of the society to join hands for this noble cause.
Emphasising the importance of mangroves, the naval chief announced that the name of the campaign will be changed to ‘National Campaign for Mangroves Plantation 2017.’
In his message on Independence Day, the naval chief said that independence is a great virtue.
He said, “Let us pledge that we will value it and we will perform our duties with honesty and we all will contribute to making this country greater.”