PESHAWAR: More than 50,000 saplings of various species were planted at Spinkhak on Defence Day as part of a mega plantation campaign organized by the Peshawar Forest Division, the central forest division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The plantation drive served as a green tribute to the martyrs and heroes of Pakistan’s defence while highlighting the provincial Forest Department’s commitment to environmental protection, climate resilience and increasing green cover.
The campaign was supervised by Divisional Forest Officer Muhammad Shakeel and Assistant Divisional Forest Officer Abdul Sattar. The Peshawar Forest Division successfully achieved its target of planting more than 50,000 saplings at the designated site.
Speaking on the occasion, DFO Muhammad Shakeel said the Forest Department was undertaking plantation activities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with a target of planting more than one million saplings on Defence Day.
He said the plantation carried out by the Peshawar Forest Division would contribute to improving environmental conditions in Peshawar and surrounding areas by increasing green cover, helping mitigate air pollution, moderating local temperatures and supporting the ecological balance.
Muhammad Shakeel said Defence Day was a reminder that protecting a nation goes beyond securing its borders and also involves safeguarding its natural resources and environment for future generations.
He said the armed forces had rendered supreme sacrifices to protect Pakistan, and it was now the collective responsibility of citizens to carry forward that spirit of patriotism by contributing to the country’s development, prosperity and environmental security.
Highlighting the growing environmental challenges facing Pakistan, the DFO said climate change, rising temperatures, air pollution, water scarcity and degradation of natural ecosystems required sustained and collective action.
He urged citizens to actively participate in plantation and environmental conservation efforts, emphasizing that planting a tree was only the first step and that its long-term care was equally important.
“If every citizen plants at least one tree and takes responsibility for its care, that single sapling can one day become a shade-giving tree, a healthier environment and a lasting legacy for generations to come,” he said.
The plantation at Spinkhak thus carried a message extending beyond the Defence Day commemoration. The newly planted trees represent a green salute to Pakistan’s defenders and a pledge to protect the land for which generations of Pakistanis have made sacrifices.
While the saplings have been planted today, their future shade, environmental benefits and contribution to biodiversity will be inherited by generations to come.
A salute to the martyrs. A commitment to nature. A greener Pakistan for future generations.
