PM arrives in Jeddah for talks with Saudi crown prince
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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Jeddah on Wednesday for a four-day official visit to engage in talks with the Saudi leadership on strengthening cooperation in various economic sectors.
Deputy Governor of Makkah Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud received the prime minister upon his arrival at the airport, according to a press release issued by the PM Office.
The high-level delegation accompanying the PM includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, federal ministers and senior officials.
During the March 19-22 visit, the prime minister will meet Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). They will discuss and deliberate upon ways to boost trade, enhance partnership in key sectors and facilitate greater economic collaboration.
Premier launches countrywide tree plantation drive
The objective of the visit is to strengthen bilateral ties, enhance economic cooperation and promote investment between the two countries, according to the press release.
Tree plantation drive
Earlier in the day, PM Shehbaz launched the 2025 spring tree plantation drive with a target to plant around 41.7 million saplings across the country, urging the nation to participate in the drive to avert climate change impacts and address many diseases.
The prime minister, who launched the campaign by planting a Chir Pine sapling on the lawn of the PM House, said the plantation would be made across the country.
Under the campaign, 12.870 million saplings will be planted in Punjab, 10m in Sindh, 2.633m in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2.062m in Balochistan, 10.147m in Azad Kashmir and 4m in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The main species to be planted include Kikar, Jand, Amaltas, Shisham, Sukh Chain, Phulai, Chir, Kail, Deodar, Peepal, Neem, Beri, Jaman, Imli and Chilgoza.
The plantation will be carried out through around 2047 events to be held across the country to plant 41.7m saplings.
The prime minister said that considering the benefits of the plantation drive in all aspects, the entire nation, especially the youth and farmers, should play their part.
It will significantly contribute to the betterment of the environment and can help effectively address various diseases, he said.
He said that impacts of climate change in recent years have also necessitated huge efforts for tree plantation in the country.
Referring to the worst climate change-induced floods of 2022 which caused widespread destruction in the country, he said Pakistan was among 10 countries in the danger zone facing severe impacts of the climate change.
PM Shehbaz said Pakistan is facing the grave climate change impacts despite its minimal contribution to greenhouse gases.
According to official data, the PC-1 of the Revised Upscaling of Green Pakistan Programme (2024-28) is in progress which features the plantation of 945m new plants and maintain 2,221m existing plants besides improving species and ensuring sustainable forest management, data collection, and scientific forest management.
During the 2019-25 Green Pakistan Programme, the plantation was made over an area of 720.916 hectares.
Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2025
