Plantation the only solution to environmental problems: Mushahidullah

ISLAMABAD, Feb 23 (APP):Federal Minister for Climate Change, Senator Mushahidullah Khan Friday said that plantation was the only solution to resolve issues related to environment including environmental imbalances and threat to biodiversity.
He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of honey-bee farm and spring plantation campaign at Zoo cum Botanical
Garden Bara Kahoo.
“We are depended upon plants for our food, clothes, medicines and air,” he said at the function which was organized by the Ministry of Climate Change and Pakistan Tobacco Company, adding that a country needs 25% of forests on its total area but Pakistan has less than 5%” he added.
He further said that less forest cover was cause of floods, dust, and many disasters. The floods of 2010 affected 2 million people that include 2000 deaths as well.
The illegal forest cutting has disturbed environmental balance, he said adding that the biodiversity was under
threats and many important species of birds and animals were endangered.
He also highlighted that plantation was the only solution to all these problems, adding the botanical garden attaches a great importance in this issue.
He said the Ministry of Climate Change with the collaboration of Pakistan Tobacco Company has started plantation
campaign in Botanical garden, which he said would help protect biodiversity from negative impacts of climate change.
He said that human beings themselves were responsible for destroying the world, which was created with perfrction adding that in Islam was a religion that talked about climate change first about fourteen hundred years ago.
The unsustainable development of developed countries created issue of climate change and developing countries were facing the consequences.
The developed countries must pay the developing countries for their capacity building. Everyone should play role as a religious duty.
Parliamentary Secretary and MNA Ms. Romina Khursheed Alam also told the audience that they were trying to involve university students and school students in “Ghar Ghar Aik Shajar” campaign to create awareness among public.
She also highlighted to follow facebook page of Ministry of Climate Change MOCCPak to follow its activities.
Senator Ms. Nuzhat Amir Sadiq also appreciated the efforts of Ministry of Climate Change to increase forest cover through dedicated work.
Mr. Tajammul Shah Legal Director and External Affair also told the participants that a Memorandum of Understanding had been signed with Ministry of Climate Change to develop this Botanical garden.
The event was attended by Secretary Ministry of Climate Change Khizer Hayat, Inspector General Forest Syed Mehmood Nasir, senior officers of Ministry of Climate Change Pakistan tobacco Company, local people and media.