ISLAMABAD: A team of environmentalists spent three-and-a-half hours on Constitution Avenue but failed to meet the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chairmen.

They wanted to convince Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri to instruct their workers to participate in a plantation campaign, which was scheduled on August 18 but could not be held due to the sit-ins in the capital.

Dr Jawad Chishtie, one of the environmentalists, told Dawn that thousands of workers of the two parties had been sitting on the Constitution Avenue and had nothing to do.

“On the other hand, the plantation campaign of the CDA could not be held. The civic agency is of the view that its environment department was busy at the venues of the sit-in and could not hold the plantation campaign.”

He said the environmentalists wanted to meet the chiefs of the PTI and PAT and tell them that if they really wanted to serve the country they could do it even without coming to power.

“We wanted to request both the leaders to instruct their workers to participate in the plantation drive because the environment of the capital is getting affected,” he said.

“We tried our best but both the leaders did not give us time for a meeting. However, we met PTI leaders Javed Hashmi, Naeemur Rehman and singer Salman Ahmed and handed them a letter for the PTI chief,” he said.

Another letter was given to PAT general secretary Khurram Nawaz Gandapur with a request for Mr Qadri that it was the Sunnah of the holy prophet to plant trees,” he said.

Earlier, the chairperson of Subh-i-Nau, an NGO, Shahida Kauser Farooq, told mediapersons that the sit-ins ‘derailed’ the plans for the August 18 national plantation day.

“It took us and the cabinet 12 years to approve the day. There is an opportunity for both Mr Qadri and Mr Khan to set an example for the whole country by taking part in the plantation drive.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd , 2014