Secretary Environment Inaugurates Monsoon Plantation Drive In Hazara Under ‘Plant For Pakistan’ Initiative

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Jul, 2025) Secretary of Environment and Forests, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shahid Zaman on Sunday formally inaugurated the monsoon plantation campaign under the national Plant for Pakistan initiative in the Hazara Division, reaffirming the province’s commitment to combating the climate change through large-scale reforestation.

The inauguration ceremony took place along Lake Road in Naran, situated in the Upper Kaghan Valley of Mansehra district, where the Secretary planted a sapling to launch the campaign.

Speaking on the occasion, Shahid Zaman emphasized that Plant for Pakistan was more than just a mass tree plantation drive, it was a nationwide movement aimed at building climate resilience in response to Pakistan’s increasing vulnerability to climate change and extreme weather events.

“Climate change is not a future threat for Pakistan, it is a current and pressing issue,” he said and added, from the catastrophic floods of 2010 and 2022 to recurring droughts and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), the country is already paying the price.

He stressed that large-scale reforestation offers a sustainable and cost-effective solution to mitigate the impacts of climate change. "Planting trees improves biodiversity, stabilizes soil, enhances water quality, and reduces the risk of floods," he added. “Now is the time to unite under the banner of Plant for Pakistan.”

Highlighting the province’s proactive efforts, Zaman noted that the KP Forest Department has led the way in Pakistan’s afforestation efforts. Under the Green Growth Initiative, the Billion Tree Afforestation Project (BTAP) has successfully increased the province’s forest cover to over 20.

6 percent. The project has earned global recognition from platforms such as the World Economic Forum, Bonn Challenge, and COP-21.

Building on this success, the nationwide Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme (10BTAP) was launched in 2018, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa allocated a target of planting an additional one billion trees.

To further these efforts, the KP government will observe Plant for Pakistan Week from August 1 to 7. During this period, government officials, local leaders, and citizens will participate in plantation drives across the province. Tourists visiting popular destinations such as Nathiagali, Kalam, Madain, Malam Jabba, and Kumrat will also be encouraged to plant saplings under the slogan: “Trees bring greenery, and greenery brings happiness.”

According to the Forest Department, over 700,000 saplings will be planted across KP during the monsoon campaign. An additional 250,000 saplings will be distributed among farmers and the public to promote community participation.

Regional targets for the campaign include Malakand Forest Region: 367,000 saplings, Northern Forest Region: 475,000 saplings and central South Forest Region: 149,000 saplings.

Moreover, approximately 184,000 fruit-bearing trees will be planted to provide both ecological benefits and income-generation opportunities for local communities.

The Secretary concluded by urging all stakeholders, including the public, civil society, and the private sector, to take part in the moonson plantation drive and contribute to a greener, more climate-resilient Pakistan.