Peshawar, August 1: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has launched the Peshawar City Urban Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign 2026, with plans to plant more than 1.4 million saplings across the province on Independence Day as part of its efforts to combat climate change and improve the environment.
The campaign was formally inaugurated in Hayatabad by Secretary for Climate Change, Forests, Environment and Wildlife Junaid Khan, who planted a Thevetia sapling to mark the occasion.
Addressing the ceremony, Junaid Khan said the province-wide monsoon plantation drive aims to expand tree cover in both urban and rural areas, helping reduce environmental pollution, mitigate the impacts of climate change, conserve biodiversity, and create a healthier and more sustainable environment for future generations.
He announced that a record-breaking plantation campaign would be held on August 14, with a target of planting over 1.4 million saplings in a single day. The initiative will involve government departments, educational institutions, civil society organisations, the private sector, youth, women, and local communities to transform tree plantation into a province-wide public movement.
Junaid Khan said the campaign reflects Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi’s vision of a “Green Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”, aimed at strengthening climate resilience and promoting environmental sustainability. He added that, under the guidance of Adviser on Climate Change, Forests, Environment and Wildlife Pir Musawir Khan, the department is implementing wide-ranging measures to promote afforestation, forest conservation, and environmental protection.
The urban plantation campaign focuses on planting trees along roadsides, green belts, parks, public spaces, and residential areas to improve air quality, enhance the city’s landscape, and encourage greater community participation in environmental conservation.
The Climate Change, Forests, Environment and Wildlife Department also urged citizens to actively participate by planting at least one tree and taking responsibility for its care to help build a greener and more environmentally sustainable Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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