ISLAMABAD, Aug 17 (APP):President Asif Ali Zardari said that Pakistan remained committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and fulfilling its obligations under the Paris Agreement, the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2017–2030, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the Convention on Biological Diversity. “The Federal Government, Provincial Governments, the Governments of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, together with other stakeholders, are working to strengthen forest …
President Zardari reaffirms Pakistan’s commitment to global climate, sustainability goals
ISLAMABAD, Aug 17 (APP):President Asif Ali Zardari said that Pakistan remained committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and fulfilling its obligations under the Paris Agreement, the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2017–2030, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
“The Federal Government, Provincial Governments, the Governments of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, together with other stakeholders, are working to strengthen forest conservation, ecosystem restoration and sustainable landscape management,” he said in a message on the ‘Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign 2026’.
The president said the Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign 2026 was more than a plantation drive, adding it was a call for sustained environmental responsibility and collective action.
He encouraged all citizens to plant suitable indigenous tree species and ensure their protection and survival.
“The true measure of success will not be the number of saplings planted, but the healthy trees and forests that we nurture over the years,” he said adding, the Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign 2026 was aimed to plant 20 million saplings across the country.
He called upon the citizens, particularly young people, educational institutions, public and private organisations and local communities to participate actively and, equally importantly, to protect and nurture the saplings that were being planted.
The president extended his greetings to people of Pakistan, on the launch of the campaign and said the national initiative reflected their collective responsibility to protect the environment, restore degraded landscapes and build a greener and more climate-resilient Pakistan.
“Forests are among Pakistan’s most valuable natural assets. They sustain biodiversity, protect watersheds, combat desertification and land degradation, improve air quality, reduce disaster risks and contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation,” President Secretariat Media Wing, in a press release, quoted him as saying.
President Zardari observed that as environmental challenges intensified, protecting and expanding their forest resources had become both a national responsibility and a strategic priority.
“Our national initiatives, including the Upscaling Green Pakistan Programme, restoration of mangrove ecosystems, sustainable forest management and community-based conservation programmes, are helping to expand tree cover, protect biodiversity, improve livelihoods and strengthen resilience to climate change,” he added.
He further stressed that these efforts must continue alongside measures to protect existing forests and ensure that newly planted trees survive and mature.
The president said the impact of this work was also felt in the daily lives of the people, adding, trees provide shade in increasingly hot urban areas, help protect soil and water resources, improve the quality of the air and provide fruit, fodder and other resources to rural communities.
He said for families, farmers and communities facing the effects of heat, water scarcity and extreme weather, healthy forests and green spaces were a practical part of building greater resilience.
The president also commended the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Provincial Forest Departments, the Forest Departments of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, development partners, civil society organisations and volunteers for their efforts to conserve Pakistan’s forests and ecosystems.
“Let us work together for a greener, cleaner and climate-resilient Pakistan. By protecting our natural resources and caring for the trees we plant today, we can help secure a healthier environment and a better future for generations to come,” he added.
