PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Tuesday launched the Plant for Pakistan plantation campaign for the spring season across the province and planted 12,000 saplings.

Forestry and environment secretary Mohammad Abid Majeed inaugurated the campaign in Dag Ismailkhel area of Nowshera district, according to a statement issued here on Tuesday.

The Plant for Pakistan, also known as 10 Billion Tree Tsunami, is a five-year project for planting 10 billion saplings across the country between 2018 and 2023.

On the first day of the campaign, 12,000 olive, pine and other saplings were planted with the help of students.

Spokesman for the forestry department Latifur Rehman told Dawn that a large number of students participated on the first day of the campaign.

He said the department had planned to plant 173 million saplings across the province in the campaign.

Chief conservator (forest) Ijaz Qadir and additional deputy commissioner Nowshera Asif Ali were also present on the occasion.

Also, the plantation campaign was launched in Kurram tribal district, where 15,000 saplings were planted on the first day.

The campaign was inaugurated by deputy commissioner Wasil Khan. A large number of people participated in it.

The DC said the administration had planned to plant five million saplings during the campaign.

Meanwhile, around 10,000 saplings were planted on the first day of plantation drive in Barmikhel area of Bannu district on Tuesday.

Divisional commissioner Shaukat Ali Yousafzai along with deputy commissioner Mohammad Zubair Niazi inaugurated the drive by sowing seedlings.

In Lakki Marwat, assistant district education officer Nisar Mohammad Khan launched the tree plantation drive by planting sowing seedlings on the premises of Government Higher Secondary and Government High School in Abdulkhel and Mela Shahabkhel areas, respectively.

The District Boy Scouts Association had organised the activity in which around 5,000 saplings will be planted by students and scouts.

Meanwhile, the district administration marked the World Scouts Day on Tuesday by planting 5,000 saplings along the Hazara Expressway in Mansehra.

The students, scouts and volunteers attended the ceremony and planted saplings.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2022