ISLAMABAD: A monsoon plantation drive, titled ‘Together for a Greener Tomorrow’ was launched in the capital on Sunday, with over 50,000 indigenous and fruit-bearing saplings planned to expand the city’s green cover.

Under the initiative of Defence Housing Authority (DHA), around 50,000 indigenous and fruit-bearing saplings will be planted to bolster the local ecosystem.

The launch event witnessed enthusiastic participation from school and university students, youth volunteers, and civil society representatives, who actively planted saplings to mark the inauguration of the campaign.

Highlighting the critical importance of afforestation, participants emphasised that large-scale tree plantation is essential to safeguard Pakistan against the severe adverse impacts of global climate change.

They noted that Pakistan remains among the countries most vulnerable to climate-induced environmental disruptions, making immediate and sustained ecological action imperative.

“Trees serve as a crucial natural shield against environmental pollution and play a pivotal role in purifying the air. Increasing tree cover is vital to mitigating extreme weather patterns and securing a safer, healthier environment for future generations,” the speakers at the event viewed.

They stressed that tree plantation must not be treated as a one-day event, but rather as a continuous national obligation, highlighting that post-plantation care, nourishment, and protection of saplings are just as crucial as the initial planting process.

Urging the younger generation to lead environmental preservation efforts, organisers and participants called for collective societal action, emphasising that every individual must contribute toward building a clean, green, and climate-resilient Pakistan.

Calling the saplings an asset for future generations, the speakers said that afforestation was the need of the hour for a green and healthy Pakistan and that the plantation drive was meant to achieve the very objectives by promoting the establishment of an eco-friendly and green society.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2026