ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday asked the public to join him, his government and the Tiger Force to plant the most saplings planted in one day.

The government has set a target to plant 3.5 million saplings throughout the country and is hoping to exceed the desired target one day, Mr Khan said on Twitter.

Sunday will also be marked as Tiger Force Day across the country.

At a press conference in the evening, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said that Mr Khan had assigned the highest priority to engaging young people in environmental initiatives launched under the Clean and Green Pakistan programme, such as the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami.

He said: “The prime minister recognises the powerful role of the country’s youth in all socioeconomic sectors, particularly the Clean and Green initiatives including Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme, launched to achieve environmental sustainability, fight environmental degradation and climate change impacts.”

PM says govt has a target to plant 3.5 million saplings vtoday, which it could exceed with public participation

He said that bringing an understanding of nature into the lives of the youth is important in a world that is increasingly urbanised, polluted, facing disasters caused by climate change and disconnected from nature.

“Tackling these environmental sustainability challenges through nurturing a strong connection of children with nature will help strengthen the youth’s connection and consciousness on the benefits of forests. It will encourage them to play their part in the protection and conservation of natural resources they need for sustainable futures,” he said, adding that education and awareness among the youth is an unprecedented step towards safeguarding natural resources for future generations.

Mr Aslam said that under the 10 Billion Tree project, a Plantation Day with the Tiger Force will be celebrated on Aug 9 across the country, which Mr Khan will inaugurate by planting a sapling in Korang Park.

Provincial chief ministers and ministers of forest and wildlife departments are joining the event in their respective provinces, where various events have been arranged.

On the day, one million Tiger Force volunteers will plant 3.5 million indigenous fruit and non-fruit tree saplings in support with the climate change ministry and provincial forest departments, he said, adding that 2m saplings will be planted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 1.2m in Punjab, 303,646 in Azad Kashmir, 57,000 in Balochistan and 15,000 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

There have been 682 events organised across the country by teams from the 10 Billion Tree programme and provincial forest departments.

NGOs and international NGOs, educational institutions and local communities will also participate.

While discussing the government’s Protected Area Initiative, approved by Mr Khan last month, Mr Aslam said the initiative has been launched under the Green Pakistan umbrella and aims to increase protected area cover from 13pc to 15pc and create 5,000 green jobs across the country.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2020