40,000 Plants Donated To GCU

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Mar, 2021 ) :The Sophia Mahmood Ali Foundation has donated 40,000 indigenous plants to the Government College University Lahore Horticulture Society to beautify the university's 370 acres new campus at Kala Shah Kaku.

The donation is made in the memory of Sophia alias Gulae, a beautiful girl who loved plants and roses, but she unfortunately lost her life at the age of 24. Dr. Ijaz and Mrs Shazia Ijaz, the Gulae's parents, made this donation of plants to GCU.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Asghar Zaidi inaugurated the month-long mega plantation drive on Thursday at the University's new campus where he along with faculty members and students of Botany Department, Sustainable Development Study Center and Chemistry Department planted the donated plants of Moringa, Neem (Azadirachta indica), Suhajna, Rose, Gauva and Sheesham.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Zaidi announced establishing Gulae's Rose Garden at GCU KSK campus in the memory of Sophia Mehmood, saying GCU Horticulture Society had initiated the biggest ever plantation drive in the history of any university. He also announced a nursery, Guava Garden, Urban forestry section, Moringa pavilion and Neem Boulevard at its new campus.

Prof. Zaidi said this mega plantation drive would have a huge positive impact on the environment of whole Kala Shah Kaku and Shiekhpura area. He expressed gratitude to GCU Horticultural Society members and their advisor Dr. Zaheer-ud-Din Khan for their tireless efforts for this mega plantation drive that would completely change the landscape.

Saliha Leghari, a board member of Sophia Mahmood Ali (SMA) Foundation, told students that Gulae was a vibrant and loving human being, and her parents would like to keep her memory alive through this foundation. She said that trees are of invaluable importance to their environment and to human well-being; they give clean air to breathe, shade and food.

Dr. Zaheer-ud-Din Khan expressed gratitude to the parents of Sophia alias Gulae for their beautiful donation of 40,000 plants.

District Forest Officer Muhammad Saleem, Chief Conservative Forest Officer Faisal Haroon and eminent botanist Syed Ajmal Rahim also attended the inauguration of one-month plantation drive.