Tree plantation drive targets 41 million saplings across Pakistan

Pakistan – (Special – Correspondent / Web Desk) – Pakistan is facing the harsh realities of climate change, and President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the nation to take united action through the Green Pakistan Programme. Speaking at the launch of the Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign on August 18, the president stressed the urgent need to combat disasters triggered by unpredictable weather patterns, including recent cloudburst-induced floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

President Zardari said that planting trees is not just symbolic but a crucial step to safeguard Pakistan’s future. Under the Green Pakistan Programme, more than 41 million saplings will be planted between August and October across cities, villages, schools, and government institutions. This campaign aims to increase forest cover, restore degraded lands, and promote nature-based solutions to strengthen resilience against climate disasters.

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He emphasized that the success of this programme depends on collective responsibility. Youth must lead as ambassadors of change, the media should inspire households, and farmers can protect both their crops and the environment through tree plantation. Civil society, religious scholars, and community leaders were also urged to encourage citizens to plant trees as a national duty.

The president highlighted that deforestation, rising temperatures, and frequent floods have already endangered millions of lives. With insufficient forest cover, Pakistan remains highly vulnerable to climate-related threats. Trees, he said, are the strongest defense against these challenges, as they clean the air, regulate climate, absorb rainwater, and reduce floods and landslides.

“Every tree planted is a shield against disaster and a gift for generations,” Zardari concluded, urging Pakistanis to join hands in building a greener, safer, and climate-resilient nation.