50,000 trees to be planted during afforestation drive, says official

PESHAWAR: The Billion Tree Tsunami Plus afforestation campaign has been initiated by Commissioner, Peshawar Division, Riaz Khan Mahsud, with an aim to plant 50,000 trees, including fruit and non-fruit varieties, in its initial phase.

Addressing the launch event, Commissioner Mahsud, who also holds the portfolio of Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP) CEO, underscored the significance of afforestation in mitigating climate change impacts.

“We must utilise our resources to plant as many trees as possible,” he said.

Sher Ali Afridi, chairman of the District Development Advisory Committee, commended the initiative, stating “All departments have been given tree planting targets under the Chief Minister’s directives. We are committed to increasing tree cover to address climate change.”

Secretary Local Government Dawood Khan highlighted that planting more trees is the most effective way to address climate change.

“Despite resource limitations, we will achieve our targets and urge public participation in this noble cause,” he added.

The event was attended by key officials including Deputy Commissioner Peshawar Captain (r) Sarmad Saleem Akram, Chief Conservator for Forests Kashif Baloch, and WSSP GM Syed Zameer-ul-Hassan.

The first phase of the campaign involves planting approximately 3,000 trees, with contributions from both the Forest Department and WSSP. Management officials and staff are actively engaged in the tree planting efforts.

Commissioner Mahsud set a target of 50,000 trees for WSSP and instructed deputy commissioners to monitor and report daily on departmental tree planting activities. He appealed to the public to actively participate in the campaign.

Chief Conservator of Forests Department Kashif Baloch stated that millions of trees are being planted during the monsoon to increase forest cover, as part of the broader initiative to promote environmental awareness.