ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday inaugurated the 2025 Spring Tree Plantation Drive, aiming to plant 41.7 million saplings across Pakistan in a bid to combat climate change and promote environmental health.
The prime minister marked the launch by planting a Chir Pine sapling on the lawn of the Prime Minister’s House under the Upscaling of the Green Pakistan Program. He urged citizens, especially youth and farmers, to actively participate in the campaign, which he said was critical for improving public health and safeguarding the environment.
“This plantation drive is not just about planting trees; it’s about securing a healthier future for our coming generations,” PM Shehbaz said. “We need nationwide participation to overcome the devastating impacts of climate change.”
Under the initiative, trees will be planted across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK). The regional breakdown includes:
- Punjab: 12.87 million saplings
- Sindh: 10 million
- KP: 2.633 million
- Balochistan: 2.062 million
- AJK: 10.147 million
- Gilgit-Baltistan: 4 million
The plantation will focus on native and climate-resilient species, including Kikar, Jand, Amaltas, Shisham, Sukh Chain, Phulai, Chir, Kail, Deodar, Peepal, Neem, Beri, Jaman, Imli, and Chilgoza.
According to officials, 2,047 plantation events are scheduled nationwide under this campaign. The initiative follows last year’s monsoon plantation drive, which saw 40.526 million saplings planted.
PM Shehbaz recalled the catastrophic floods of 2022, which he said underscored the urgent need for robust climate action. Despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan remains among the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change, he noted.
The premier called on citizens to seek Allah’s blessings during the holy month of Ramazan and commit themselves to the nation’s progress through environmental stewardship.
According to the government, the revised PC-1 of the Upscaling of the Green Pakistan Program (2024-2028) is currently under process. It envisions planting 945 million new trees and maintaining over 2.2 billion existing plants. The program also includes improved species selection, sustainable forest management, and enhanced scientific monitoring.
During the 2019-2025 phase of Green Pakistan, over 720,000 hectares of land were afforested, creating 1.42 million man-months of green jobs.
