President urges nation to participate in plantation campaign

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari said that trees are the foundation of life and they provide us with clean air, regulate our climate, and support diverse ecosystems. The President expressed these words in his message on Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign, 18 August 2024. He said, “As we embark on the Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign 2024, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all Pakistanis for their unwavering dedication to preserving our environment. This campaign is not just a seasonal initiative; it is a crucial aspect of our national duty to protect and nurture the natural beauty and resources of our beloved country.”He said that in the face of escalating environmental challenges, the significance of tree plantation cannot be overstated. He said that Holy Prophet (PBUH) also encouraged planting trees and is reported to have said, “If the Hour (the day of Resurrection) is about to be established and one of you was holding a palm shoot, let him take advantage of even one second before the Hour is established to plant it.”The President said that currently, only about five percent of Pakistan’s total land area is covered by forests, which are under severe pressure due to increasing demand for wood and other land uses. He said that through this Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign, we have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on our environment and secure a greener, healthier future for our younger generation.“I want to emphasise that forestry remains a top priority on Pakistan’s development agenda. The “Upscaled Green Pakistan Programme” has achieved a massive planting target and is recognised internationally. Furthermore, under the Delta Blue Carbon initiative, Pakistan has undertaken successful mangrove restoration, increasing mangrove cover by 300 percent since 1990. Over two million mangroves have been planted in Sindh to mitigate the impacts of Climate Change, which also earned $27 million by trading carbon credits in the international market. Another restorative initiative is “The Living Indus Programme” which contains components aimed at halting deforestation and received the UN Decade of Restoration Flagship Award, he said.“I would like to highlight that the government alone cannot preserve and enhance our forest wealth without the cooperation and engagement of our communities. This requires the involvement of different strata of society and I hope they would lend their hand in this auspicious venture. It is essential that our younger generation understands the pivotal role forests play in addressing climate change.Copyright Business Recorder, 2024