1 million trees planted in CSR activity

Islamabad : Up to one million trees have been planted as part of corporate social responsibility by a private firm.

Khyber Tobacco Company (KTC) CEO Sameera Irfan has stated that KTC has also installed 500 kwh solar energy plants to acquire green energy goals. She said it will reduce burden on national grid, allowing home consumers more electric power in Mardan.

She said in 2022, KTC saved three percent on utilities consumption through its green energy initiatives. She stated over 400 people of the area have been employed in addition to 21 young people who were engaged as internees by her company.

She said the company has planted over one million trees at different locations to counter climate change affects. She said floods had devastated northern parts of KP, southern Punjab and Sindh province, adding that KTC provided food, shelter, medicine and even doctors to flood hit populations in those areas. She said special arrangements were made for the transportation and provisioning of basic necessities of life to the flood victims.

In 2020, COVID-19 pandemic caused challenges for KTC. She said at that time KTC went an extra mile by supporting local communities through provision of ventilators, oxygen cylinders, sanitizers and masks. KTC made donations to ‘Mardan Medical Complex’ during the first wave of pandemic. Medical masks, infra-red thermometers and single use medical protective clothing were major items in these donations.

Sameera said KTC is also sponsoring education of orphans by contributing Rs2,400,000 annually. She pledged to increase this amount by an additional 50 percent by next year. She said KTC has become a major employer of differently able people.

In 2009, the KTC supported 100 families of internally displaced people (IDP) in the wake of Rah-e-Rast operation in Swat against terrorists. She said her company provided IDP families with food, shelter, medicines and other basic necessities of life.

She said KTC sponsors a number of free clinics in Mardan, Swabi and Islamabad. She stated over nine clinics have been established thus far providing free checkups and subsidized medicines to patients. Approximately 500 patients are served in these clinics on a daily basis, she said.

She added that KTC is Pakistan’s only national cigarette manufacturer which is listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE) and is the only listed company led by a female CEO. It is the largest tax contributing company from the KP and is the first cigarette manufacturer to implement electronic rack and trace system. In recent months, it has outperformed many stocks on the PSE.