PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan launched the spring tree plantation campaign throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by sowing a schotia brachypetala sapling at his official residence here on Tuesday.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that the plantation drive had been initiated in order to counter climate change and other natural challenges, according to a statement.

The secretary environment briefed the chief minister on the plantation target and said 140 million saplings had already been planted, thus exceeding the 100 million saplings target set for 2019-20.

He said a total of 180 million saplings would be planted by June.

Mahmood Khan claimed that one billion trees were planted during the previous tenure of the PTI provincial government under the Billion Tree Tsunami Project, which was yielding positive results.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2020