PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi on Saturday said comprehensive and sustainable measures were being taken to improve the environment and increase the forest cover in the province.

Speaking at a ceremony after launching the Spring Tree Plantation Campaign 2026, he said due to policy continuity and consistent government initiatives, there had been a significant increase in forest area in the province. He added that the continued efforts were already yielding positive results.

The chief minister said that promotion and protection of forests remained among the top priorities of the government of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, according to a statement issued from his office.

The inauguration ceremony was held at the lawn of the Chief Minister’s House, where Mr Afridi planted a sapling to mark the commencement of the campaign.

Launches spring tree plantation drive

The chief minister said that the ongoing spring plantation campaign would prove to be an important milestone towards environmental sustainability and underlined that in the face of mounting environmental challenges, climate change, and pollution, the expansion of forest resources had become indispensable.

Mr Afridi said that planting trees should not be treated as a temporary campaign but must become a permanent national habit and collective mindset to ensure a clean, safe, and green environment for future generations.

He said that no government initiative could achieve desired outcomes without public participation and cooperation and urged all segments of society to actively participate in the plantation drive and contribute by planting their share of trees to help make the province greener and more prosperous.

During a briefing on the occasion, officials informed the CM that a target of planting over 20 million saplings had been set for the ongoing spring campaign.

They said under the Upscaling Green Pakistan Programme, 18.3 million saplings would be planted, while 2.48 million saplings would be planted under the Billion Tree Afforestation Support Programme.

The briefing reaffirmed the government’s commitment that all departments concerned would work under a coordinated and integrated strategy to ensure the timely and effective achievement of the set targets.

Officials further informed the chief minister that a mega plantation event would be held on March 23, during which the target was to plant more than one million saplings in a single day.

They said that the special event would ensure active participation of youth, students, civil society, and members of the general public in order to promote tree plantation as a collective national responsibility.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2026