Pakistan’s PM Urges Citizens to Join Climate Action

News Desk 

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif kickstarted a nationwide initiative to combat climate change by inaugurating the spring plantation campaign with the planting of a sapling.

He pledged the government’s dedication to doubling the number of trees planted in 2024, aiming to surpass the previous year’s achievement of 240 million saplings.

In his address on Friday, Prime Minister Sharif stressed the critical need to expand Pakistan’s forest cover, which currently stands at a mere 5 percent of the total land area, to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.

Citing data from the Global Climate Risk Index, the Prime Minister highlighted Pakistan’s ranking as the fifth most vulnerable country to climate-related hazards, emphasizing the urgent necessity for proactive measures.

He underscored the significant toll climate change has taken on Pakistan, including the loss of thousands of lives and billions of dollars in financial damages between 1999 and 2018.

PM Shehbaz emphasized the importance of raising awareness about climate change risks at all levels, particularly within educational institutions.

Prime Minister Sharif directed relevant authorities to exert maximum efforts to ensure the widespread implementation of the plantation campaign across the country, aiming to transform Pakistan into a green and pollution-free nation. 

He also urged all Pakistani citizens to actively participate in the plantation drive to assist the government in safeguarding the country against the devastating impacts of climate change and to foster a healthier environment.

During the event, the prime minister received a briefing regarding the area-specific targets for tree plantation efforts nationwide.

It was revealed that in the 2024 spring plantation campaign, a total of 54.38 million saplings were slated for planting across various regions of the country.

The breakdown included 14.1 million in Punjab, 11.72 million in Sindh, 5.71 million in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 3 million in Balochistan, 11.85 million in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K), and 8 million in Gilgit-Baltistan. 

Comparatively, during the Monsoon 2023 drive, a total of 49.02 million saplings were planted countrywide, with 14.62 million in Punjab, 19 million in Sindh, 10.68 million in KP, 1.06 million in Balochistan, 3.3 million in AJ&K, and 0.36 million in GB.

The primary species designated for planting in the spring campaign include Timar, Kikar, Jand, Amaltas, Shisham, Sukh Chain, Simal, Farash, Phulai, Chir, Kail, Deodar, Peepal, Neem, Drekh, Beri, Imli, Jaman, Chilgoza, Willow, Ailanthus, Sirus, and Poplar.