Staff Reporter
Peshawar
Plant for Pakistan day was celebrated across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including merged areas on Sunday where people from all walk of life participated in the spring plantations campaign to achieve the set target of 74million saplings to offset the growing threats of global warming and climate change.
People from cross section of the society including legislators, students, farmers, NGOs, academicians, civil servants, politicians, businessmen, general public and officials of Forest Department took part in the national ‘Plant for Pakistan’ afforestation campaign in all 34 districts of KP.
Around 28,000 students with a set target to plant four million saplings during the three days ie February 21-23 afforestation campaign actively participated in the special drive in KP including merged tribal districts. The students from KG to PhD level of the Govt and private educational institutions from DI Khan to Chitral participated in the campaign after Forest and Education Departments have recently signed MoU to plant four million saplings of different species during these three days in the province.
Member National Assembly, Sajid Mohmand planted a tree at Ghalanai Mohmand tribal district whereas Deputy Commissioner South Waziristan, Hameedullah Khan sown a sapling in Wana. Similarly, Member Provincial Assembly, Nisar Ahmed and Assistant Commissioner Qaisar Khan planted a sapling of Chinar and Chir at Yakagund Mohmand Tribal district.
Likewise, trees plantations functions were held at Shaheed Osama Zafar High School Hashtnagri Peshawar and Govt High School Shah Dhand Orakzai tribal district attended by students in large number. A total of 74million saplings would be planted in spring season in KP against 250 million set for the country that would create 1.5million jobs for people during next four years under PM’s Clean and Green Pakistan program.
The successful implementation of first phase of BTAP-2014-17 under which more than 1.20 billion saplings were planted over an areas of 230,000 hectares and 4509 enclosures, registering six percent increase in KP’s total forest areas ie 26.3 pc in 2018.
