ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday urged all Pakistanis particularly to actively participate in the Spring Tree Planting Campaign 2018 by planting maximum trees.
He kicked off the Spring Tree Planting Campaign, 2018 by planting a sapling here at the PM Office with a pledge for a greener Pakistan.
Under the campaign, saplings would be planted across the country for a healthier, sustainable environment. Minister for Climate Change Mushahid Ullah and MNA Romina Khurshid Alam accompanied the PM.
Prayers were offered for the success of the campaign, part of massive tree planting programme for all parts of the country through Green Pakistan Program.
The programme envisages planting of 100 million additional saplings to make Pakistan greener. The total cost of the Programme is Rs. 3.652 billion for the period 2016-2021.
The campaign gains all the more important in view of the fact that Pakistan’s natural forests are under persistent threat of depletion due to erratic climate change, the heavy demand of wood for human habitation, firewood and other wood-based industries.
Taking cognisance of the situation the government is taking a keen interest in the promotion of forestry and increasing the forest cover in the country.
The Capital Development Authority would join the campaign from Feb 15 and would plant saplings in collaboration with various non-government organisations, schools, colleges and universities, he said.
The campaign would focus parks, Margalla hills and the green belts to make the city greener for a healthy environment.