ISLAMABAD, Aug 30 (APP):Advisor to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam Thursday said that a day-long national massive tree plantation campaign titled “Plant for Pakistan” would be held on September 2.
Addressing a press conference here at Press Information Department (PID), he said 200 events would be held nationwide, while 190 distribution points would be established to plant 1.5 million plants in a single day.
He said that the major events would be held in 18 big cities in all the four provinces and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
He also asked the chief ministers of all the provinces to inaugurate the one day activity in their respective provinces.
Malik Aslam said that it was the only option to compete the challenges of climate change in the country. Currently forest cover was declining due to deforestation, he added.
He said that country’s forests were under attack due to which cities like Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi were losing their beauty. He recalled once Lahore was considered City of Gardens but today Lahore was in very bad condition as about 70 per cent trees had been removed.
Similarly Karachi become a concrete jungle, he said adding, in Islamabad forest cover was under attack and climate change issue was becoming a challenge. He expressed concern that Pakistan was heading towards the “dead zone”.
Malik Amin Aslam said that one billion trees project was successfully implemented in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which was internationally acknowledged, adding that the federal government now want to initiate 10 billion trees Tsunami project nationwide. He said this project would be completed within five years.
The Advisor to the Prime Minister said it was national obligation to plant trees for the future of Pakistan.
He said that 21 kinds of local trees would be planted as per the weather condition of various areas of the country.
He said that celebrity Salman Ahmed had also cooperated with the Ministry of Climate Change in tree plantation campaign. Some other celebrities were also willing to cooperate in that regard to highlight the campaign.
The Advisor said that ministry had also developed a page on social media to project the tree plantation campaign nationwide.
Replying to a question, he said that the government would take the provinces on board to stop the use of plastic bags in the country.
To another question he said that necessary legislation would be brought to discourage the trees cutting in the country.
Secretary Ministry of Climate Change Khizer Hayat and PTI leader, who is also renowned singer, Salman Ahmed was also present on the occasion.
