PESHAWAR: A high-level delegation from Germany led by Mr. Jochen Flashbarth, State Secretary German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development visited Pakistan’s first man-made Ghari Chandan forest Peshawar where they planted trees in connection with the spring afforestation campaign started in Khyber Pakthunkhwa.
Provincial Minister for Environment, Forest and Wildlife, Syed Ishtiaq Urmar, Chief Conservator of Forest Department, Ejaz Qadir, Conservator Southern Circle, Gulzar Rehman, and other senior officers of KP Forest Department welcomed the Germany delegation on arrival in Khyber Pakthunkhwa. Provincial Minister, Syed Ishtiaq Urmar and Secretary Environment, Forests and Wildlife, Muhammad Abid Majeed gave a detailed briefing to the German delegation on the KP Government’s efforts for the promotion of forests and biodiversity resources and countering the monster challenge of climate change, a spokesman of KP Forest and Environment told APP.
Ghari Chandan is located some 10 kilometers south in the outskirts of Peshawar where its rugged and sandy barren land had been converted into a full-fledged forest under the PTI Government’s flagship billion trees afforestation project.
The State Secretary German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, Mr. Jochen Flashbarth, and other members of the delegation made a detailed visit to Ghari Chandan where they planted trees. The delegation was told that over 48,000 plants were planted on 111 acres during the last monsoon afforestation campaign in Ghari Chandan including low water consumption species of Shisham, Eucalyptus, Kiker, and others.
The forest department officials informed the delegation about measures taken for the launching of the spring plantation campaign under the billion trees afforestation campaign underway in Khyber Pakthunkhwa.
Up till now, around 99.9 million saplings on 111,541 acres in Khyber Pakthunkhwa have been planted under the project while a plantation target of 107.854 plants was set for the spring season in the province. The Prime Minister of Pakistan’s billion trees afforestation program has globally been appreciated due to the consistent support of the provinces.
The UN Environment Organization had declared Pakistan as ‘champion’ for its leading role in the restoration of forest resources in the South East Asian region. This year also, the Prime Minister of Pakistan had directed the continuation of marking ‘Plant for Pakistan Day on February 22 to plant maximum trees under the 10 billion trees afforestation program in the country including KP.
The Prime Minister has already issued directions to members of the national and provincial assemblies, cabinets, heads of government departments, and the general public for ensuring participation in plantation events during the spring season.
Under the billion trees program, 540 million saplings would be planted during the spring season and a letter to all departments of KP including Environment, Forest and Wildlife department, educational institutions, and other Govt and semi Government organizations have been delivered to ensure full participation during ‘Plant for Pakistan’ campaign to make the country lush green.
