2.5mn saplings planted against target of 1.5mn, claims ministry

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Climate Change’s countrywide campaign titled ‘Plant for Pakistan’ is said to have received an overwhelming response as around 2.5 million saplings were planted against a target of 1.5 million under the drive. 

According to a press release put out by the ministry, the youth took active part in the daylong campaign to make the country greener.

A total of 809,822 saplings were planted in Sindh, 278,811 in Punjab, 1,139,400 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 83,800 in Gilgit Baltistan, 30,000 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 95,000 in Balochistan and 58,000 in Islamabad.

Meanwhile, Advisor to the PM on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam in a video message appreciated all Pakistanis who played an active role in tree plantation campaign to protect their future generations. The drive is part of the PTI government’s 100-day plan.

On September 2, the premier launched the drive by planting a sapling in Haripur district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Speaking to media on the occasion, he said the drive is aimed to tackle climatic changes as Pakistan will be largely affected by global warming if such steps were not taken.

He said 10 billion saplings will be planted across the country in order to make Pakistan green and verdant over a period of five years.

A target of plantation of 1.5 million trees was set under the campaign as part of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government’s ten billion tree Tsunami 2018 drive.