By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul on Monday said the nation should pledge to plant a tree, while commemorating the World Forest Day 2022, under the flagship Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Plantation (TBTTP) project’s spring plantation drive being initiated to make the country climate resilient and disaster adaptive.
In a video message, the minister of state said there was much to be mentioned for restoration of degraded forests and nature conservation on the occasion of International Day of Forests 2022. Zartaj said the world recognition and progress on reviving green cover under TBTTP initiative has substantially increased.
“We have created around 250,000 jobs so far and will succeed in retrieving one million hectares land forest under the target set till 2023”, she added. She added that the ministry through its holistic coordination and mechanism was progressing well over 10 billion trees plantation target till 2030.
Moreover, she said air Quality in the cities to counter smog has also improved after plantation and mitigation measures implemented under Clean Green Pakistan movement.
The minister added that Pakistan’s TBTTP, the Billion Tree Honey products were excelling well and also improved food security among the communities associated with forests. “Trees plantation and forests’ conservation is a perpetual charity and sunnah (traditions and practices of Holy Prophet) of Prophet (PBUH)”, she remarked in her message for the nation on World Forests Day. Prime Minister Imran Khan’s initiatives to make Pakistan disaster resilient country for the coming generations were going on through TBTTP, Clean Green Pakistan, Plastic Bags ban, protected areas initiative, national parks, renewable energy and electric vehicles, she added. She urged the nation to plant a tree to contribute their share for Clean Green Pakistan and enhanced forest cover. “We have to reduce our reliance on such products putting pressure on forests rather shift towards using alternatives”.
