By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will launch the countrywide monsoon plantation drive on Monday, in a bid to turn Pakistan green. The prime minister will plant a sapling at the capital’s Fatima Jinnah Park in Sector F-9, as a gesture to encourage the masses to fully participate in the tree-plantation campaign.
The nationwide activity is taking place in the rainy season of monsoon as part of the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami under the auspices of the Ministry of Climate Change and the Capital Development Authority (CDA). In the next few weeks, the CDA will plant nearly half a million trees across Islamabad.
Islamabad over the years, has witnessed a massive reduction in tree cover, particularly in the last two decades. However, the green graph is gradually showing an upward trend after the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan carried out a massive tree plantation campaign under the Clean and Green Pakistan Initiative.
A day earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan planted a sapling in Nathia Gali’s scenic resort to promote plantation for the sake of preserving the natural environment. He also urged the nation especially youth to join hands in gearing up for the plantation campaign. The prime minister, even before joining the politics, has long been a strong advocate for the importance of plantation for the future of a clean and green Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Sunday advised all provincial and federal authorities to remain on “Alert” as the active phase of Monsoon season has been predicted to prevail in the next week. The Met Office informed that strong monsoon currents were likely to penetrate northeastern parts of the country from weekend perpetrating the monsoon active phase.
Rain-wind-thundershower (with few heavy falls at time) was expected in Kashmir, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Okara, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Sargodha, Mianwali, Khushab, Bhakkar and Layyah.
Rain-wind-thundershowers (with few heavy falls at time) was expected in Dir, Swat, Buner, Kohistan, Shangla, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Mardan, Swabi, Charsadda, Nowshera, Peshawar, Waziristan, Kurrum, Bannu, Kohat, Lakki Marwat, Tank, Karak and Dera Ismail Khan, Gilgit-Baltistan (Ghizer, Astore, Diamer, Skardu, Gilgit, Hunza Nagar, Ghanche and Kharmang).
