GUJRAT: Under Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Clean Green 10 Billion Tree Tusnami programme, children in Gujranwala planted 52,040 saplings in 40 seconds on Thursday and broke the record of planting 37,000 saplings in one minute set by India.

The saplings were planted along the 14-kilometer greenbelt of GT Road passing through Gujranwala city right from Aziz crossing to Chan Da Qila bypass.

Up to 12,500 students with teachers, members of civil society participated in the event.

Malik Amin Aslam, special assistant to the prime minister (SAPM) on climate change, said that the flag of Pakistan was hoisted all over the world and by making Gujranwala clean and green. He said Gujranwala’s name has made it to the Guinness Book of World Records.

He expressed these views while addressing a function on the occasion. SAPM Aslam said that the vision of the prime minister was to make the country green as planting trees is as per the teaching of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) and so was the need of Pakistan. This is change and this is the new Pakistan.

“In order to combat climate change, we’re planting trees on a large scale for future generations, while certain people suffering from political ignorance seem to be ignorant of this great national task.” An example of such political ignorance is the statement elements that large-scale tree planting inside the city will create security problems, while during their 10-year rule, such elements removed 70% of the green belt and trees from Lahore. He said that it is also our responsibility to make the programme a success and the children of Gujranwala have set a national and world record on the beautiful occasion of Independence Day.

He said a few days ago in Lahore, Mr Khan planted a tree in the Meawakie ​​forest which would be the largest ​​forest of its kind in the world. He said that the enthusiasm of the children was visible.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2021