Today the world is facing environmental problems. Global warming, ozone depletion and pollution are burning issues. Solution to these problems lies in planting more trees. Trees and plants are the prime source of environmental purification and beautification. Even Islam has announced rewards for the people who plant trees. Planting trees is also a Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W) and its reward continues even after the death of the person who plants a tree.
Recently, the PTI government plans to incentivise students to plant trees by offering 20 extra marks to students who plant at least 20 saplings. The legislation aimed at integrating youth in the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami plantation project. This is one of the best steps taken by the government to motivate the students for planting trees for a Green Pakistan.
Soon after coming to power in 2018, Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated his ambitious tree plantation drive with the goal of planting 10bn trees across the country. The tree plantation drives also received global attention and praise, with other leaders taking up similar campaigns, and the World Economic Forum launching the One Trillion Trees Initiative.
Besides their obvious benefits for the environment, the tree plantation drives have generated employment for thousands of people. There is no doubt regarding the importance of such mass tree plantation campaigns, especially since Pakistan is one of the countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Pakistan is also believed to have one of the highest deforestation rates in the world, and even as we plant new trees, there must be efforts to protect old and indigenous trees from being chopped down.
On the other hand, expanding urbanisation, industrialisation, an increasing population and a powerful, politically well-connected timber mafia form a lethal combination that is stripping the land of its precious forest cover. We are still lacking a strong legislation against the timber mafia, which will curb the chopping of trees across the country.
Every citizen of Pakistan can play a vital role in tree plantation campaigns. Karachi, the commercial & aviation hub of Pakistan is most affected by climate change. It has turned into a city of concrete, and there is dire need of tree plantation in Karachi to save people from heatwaves. Trees play a critical role in our existence on earth. We may have achieved the previous target but our environment is still unbreathable. What we plan today will benefit us tomorrow.
