By Sardar Khan Niazi

As Pakistan stands in the combat zone of the global climate crisis, it is time we confront an uncomfortable truth: we are rapidly losing our green cover and with it the natural resilience that once protected our land and our people. The floods, droughts, heatwaves, and water shortages we now face with increasing regularity are not just the result of global emissions — they are also the consequence of decades of neglect, mismanagement, and deforestation at home. In a country where forests make up less than 5% of the total land area — far below the global average of 31% — re-greening is not just an environmental list of items; it is a matter of national continued existence. The warning signs of our ecological crisis are all over the place. Trees are felled to make way for roads, plazas, and housing schemes. Mountains are stripped bare for timber and minerals. Riverbeds dry up as we divert water without replenishing the catchments. Urban expansion devours parks, while pollution poisons the air, soil, and waterways. And yet, regardless of all of this, nature has not given up on us. Trees still grow when planted. Wetlands still return when protected. Local communities, when empowered, still rise to become custodians of the environment. The recent urban plantation drives and community-led reforestation projects have shown that there is a deep, latent desire among Pakistanis to reconnect with the land and bring back its lost greenery. What we now need is scale, urgency, and vision. The state must lead the way by declaring a national emergency for ecological restoration. Much like post-war rebuilding efforts, Pakistan’s re-greening must be woven into the fabric of every government policy — from urban planning and agriculture to education and employment. This means prioritizing tree plantation not as a cosmetic activity, but as a scientific, sustained, and data-driven national mission. We must move beyond tokenism. Planting saplings for media attention serves little purpose when the majority fail to survive due to lack of aftercare. We need the right trees, planted in the right places, with long-term maintenance plans built into local governance systems. Indigenous and drought-resistant species should be prioritized over exotic or fast-growing trees that can disrupt local ecosystems. In addition, communities must be at the heart of this transformation. Farmers should be incentivized to adopt agroforestry. Local schools should be involved in tree-monitoring programs. Women, especially in rural areas, should be trained and paid to lead nursery development and plantation care. By turning reforestation into a livelihood opportunity, we can align ecological restoration with poverty alleviation. Cities, too, must become green sanctuaries, not concrete jungles. Urban forestry, rooftop gardens, and green belts should be legally mandated in development plans. Every city should have a designated green task force to restore parks, revive urban wetlands, and monitor air quality. In Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and beyond, we must reclaim nature from the grip of cement and smoke. What is more, this mission cannot succeed without a cultural shift. Re-greening must become part of our national identity. Just as we take pride in our heritage and traditions, we must cultivate a collective reverence for our natural environment. Media, religious institutions, and educational curricula should all be enlisted to foster a sense of ecological citizenship. Pakistan has already paid too high a price for environmental degradation. It cannot afford to continue down this path. As climate change tightens its grip, our best defense lies not in more dams or air-conditioners, but in trees, forests, and thriving ecosystems. It is time to re-green our country — not tomorrow, not next year, but today. For our children. For our climate. For the future of Pakistan.