Pakistan, the second country in Asia with the highest rate of deforestation, is in a green emergency. Having a total covered area of 5.7% trees, Pakistan precedes Afghanistan in rapid deforestation due to the rapidly growing urban population, timber mafia, and infrastructure development.
Tree Plantation Drive in Pakistan
With the establishment of the Imran Khan government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), they initiated a tree plantation drive on the barren lands and forests in 2016. Determined to plant one billion trees, they earmarked this bold green initiative to make Pakistan clean and Green Pakistan. This plantation drive also got the attention of the Pakistan Pavilion Dubai Expo 2020.
However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) took power in 2016, and they extended this program of tree plantation in all four provinces of Pakistan. Moreover, they enlarged the one-billion plants to the ten-billion green plants.
Tree Plantation Drive in Peshawar
Since 2016, the PTI government has planted saplings in its one-billion tree tsunami drive. This bold plant4Pakistan drive soon came into the spotlight and earned worldwide recognition for earmarking such a massive scale campaign in a developing country.
Once renowned for its gardens and flowers, Peshawar became a hot center of deforestation. However, more than 350000 hectares were restored as green areas in the afforestation drive. This significant step towards making KPK a naturally prosperous and sustainable city is a remarkable initiative by the government.
Tree Plantation Drive in Islamabad
Islamabad, the urban planned city in Pakistan, earmarked the plantation drive in February 2021 when Imran Khan planted a tree in the spring tree plantation drive in the capital. The plan to grow one billion trees seems difficult to achieve as the Covid-19 halted this process for one year. On the other hand, the government started another campaign during the monsoon season in Islamabad.
Islamabad city is expanding due to the mushroom growth of the housing societies in the suburbs of Islamabad. Besides, the fast pace of infrastructure development is taking place, devouring the ecosystem of the second-most beautiful city in the world. On the other hand, the government is taking significant measures to consume plastic by constructing plastic roads in Islamabad.
Plantation Initiative in Lahore
The first round of tree plantation drive began in February last year at the Lahore Ring Road, where 300 plants of Miyawaki were planted in the initial movement. Miyawaki is a special kind of plant with the capability of increasing in just ten years.
In the second round of the monsoon tree plantation drive in Lahore, the walled city of Punjab planted the Miyawaki forest successfully. PM Imran Khan inaugurated the world’s giant Miyawaki Forest in Lahore in August 2019. A Japanese botanist Miyawaki developed this technique of regenerating forests. These plants grow faster than the average growth period for growing a forest in normal and favorable circumstances.
Plantation Campaign in Karachi
The metropolitan city has the highest pollution and deforestation rate due to the ever-expanding urban population. It increases the pressure on the land. Due to these and many other factors, afforestation is the need of the hour.
Following the footsteps of the central government, many Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), educational institutions, and corporations joined hands. They initiated the afforestation campaign in different parts of the city.
Final Thought
So, we can say safely that in the upcoming spring of 2022, if the government, NGOs, corporations, and public-private partnerships start the tree plantation campaign joining hands in this remarkable initiative, can achieve half of the target of planting 5 billion trees tsunami by giving awareness to the masses.
