Pakistan’s Forest Department has expedited spring plantation campaign in Abbottabad district through which five million saplings would be planted with the help of stakeholders, farmers and general public.

Commissioner Hazara Division Motahir Zeb inaugurated the spring plantation campaign by planting a sapling at Nakeera Abbottabad.

Under “Plant for Pakistan” campaign, 8,000 saplings would be planted at Shimla Hills Abbottabad.

The Billions Trees Afforestation Project (BTAP) of the Pakistani government is the world’s 4th biggest plantation project successfully implemented by Pakistan after China, India and Ethiopia.

Motahir Zeb said Pakistan was following China in both technology advancement and greener atmosphere.

“We are learning from China on how to go forward. China is a great example for us,” he mentioned.

The Commissioner said forests play a key role in countering challenges of climate change and desertification and urged masses to plant maximum trees to make the country green.

BTAP was launched in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in November 2014 under which a record of 1.208 billion saplings were raised. The project has increased Khyber Pakhtukhaw’s forest-covered area to 26.6 percent in 2018 against 20 percent in 2013, thus surpassing the 25 percent international forests standard for a country.

At the federal level, Prime Minister Imran Khan had launched 10 BTAP on September 2, 2018 to plant 10 billion trees in the country including additional one billion seedlings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 2023.

The spring plantation campaign is also underway in others districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhaw including merged tribal districts where its vast areas are being utilized to achieve the plantation target of additional one billion by next year.