Secretary Junaid Khan Chairs Fourth Online Open Forum; Announces Mega Monsoon Plantation Drive, Annual Mega Tree Plantation on Pakistan Day and Independence Day, Carbon Credit Initiatives, and Large-Scale Plantation on Private Lands
PESHAWAR: The Fourth Online Open Forum (Khuli Katcheri) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Climate Change, Forestry, Environment and Wildlife Department was held under the chairmanship of Secretary Junaid Khan, providing citizens from across the province with an opportunity to directly engage with senior officials, raise questions, share suggestions, and register concerns regarding forestry, environmental protection, afforestation, wildlife conservation, and departmental services.
The session was attended by Additional Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries, Chief Conservator of Forests Asghar Khan, Chief Conservator of Forests Ahmad Jalil, Chief Wildlife Conservator Dr. Mohsin Farooqi, senior officials of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other senior departmental officers, who responded comprehensively to public queries.
Addressing the participants, Secretary Junaid Khan stated that planting a tree is an investment in the security and prosperity of future generations, while cutting down a tree is not merely the loss of timber—it is a loss to the environment, biodiversity, water resources, and the rights of generations yet to come. He remarked that growing a tree requires patience, dedication, and years of care, whereas felling one takes only a few moments. Therefore, safeguarding forests is not only a governmental obligation but also a shared national, moral, and constitutional responsibility.
He emphasized that every officer and official of the Forest Department serves as a true guardian of the province’s forests and natural heritage. They must remain steadfast in protecting forests, biodiversity, wildlife, and natural resources. He further stressed that forest conservation cannot be achieved by government institutions alone; every citizen has an equally important role to play in preserving Pakistan’s green legacy.
Secretary Junaid Khan announced that with the onset of the monsoon season, the department has officially launched its province-wide Monsoon Plantation Campaign. Millions of saplings are being planted across all districts, while free saplings are also being distributed among citizens to encourage broad public participation. He noted that in the face of escalating climate change, rising temperatures, air pollution, floods, landslides, and increasing water scarcity, large-scale tree plantation remains the most effective and sustainable solution.
He further announced that the Forest Department has designated 23 March (Pakistan Day) and 14 August (Independence Day) as permanent annual calendar events for province-wide Mega Plantation Campaigns. These flagship initiatives are aimed at strengthening the vision of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi for a “Green Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” while fostering a culture of environmental stewardship among the public.
Secretary Junaid Khan also praised the continuous efforts of Advisor to the Chief Minister on Climate Change, Forestry, Environment and Wildlife, Pir Musavir Khan, describing his commitment to forestry, environmental protection, and afforestation as highly commendable. He stated that Pir Musavir Khan has been playing a pivotal role in providing policy guidance, institutional support, and promoting public participation. His active leadership and sustained patronage have accelerated initiatives related to afforestation, forest conservation, sustainable natural resource management, and environmental improvement, translating the Chief Minister’s vision of a “Green Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” into tangible action.
The Secretary informed participants that extensive plantation activities are underway along the province’s major highways and urban corridors, including the Indus Highway, Peshawar–Kohat Road, Kohat, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat–Rawalpindi Road, Hazara Motorway, Swat Expressway, ring roads, bypasses, and major roads across Mardan, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Buner, Shangla, Malakand, Upper and Lower Dir, Chitral, and throughout Hazara Division. Plantation activities are also being carried out on government lands, open spaces, and other suitable locations across the province.
He further revealed that the department has formulated a comprehensive Five-Year Plantation Protection and Maintenance Plan to ensure the survival and healthy growth of newly planted saplings. The plan includes continuous monitoring, irrigation, maintenance, and protection measures to maximize the long-term success and sustainability of plantation efforts.
Highlighting urban greening initiatives, Secretary Junaid Khan said that large-sized indigenous, ornamental, and shade trees are being planted throughout Peshawar, particularly in Hayatabad, as well as in other urban centers along roadsides, green belts, parks, government buildings, educational institutions, hospitals, and public spaces to enhance urban beauty, improve air quality, and create healthier living environments.
He emphasized that no plantation campaign can achieve lasting success without active public participation. Therefore, the Forest Department has decided to distribute millions of free saplings—including fruit-bearing, shade, and indigenous species—to citizens, encouraging every household, village, educational institution, and organization to become part of this province-wide green movement.
Secretary Junaid Khan also unveiled plans for a transformative initiative involving large-scale plantations on privately owned agricultural lands and communal lands. Under this programme, landowners will be encouraged and obligated to protect and maintain planted trees while receiving attractive financial incentives in return, creating a mutually beneficial model for environmental conservation and rural economic development.
He noted that the rapidly expanding global carbon credit market presents a significant economic opportunity for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. International investors and corporate organizations are increasingly interested in financing environmentally sustainable projects, which could attract substantial investment into the province, generate employment opportunities, strengthen rural livelihoods, conserve natural resources, and enable local communities to directly benefit from protecting forests.
Reaffirming the department’s commitment, Secretary Junaid Khan said that the Climate Change, Forestry, Environment and Wildlife Department will continue implementing practical, science-based, transparent, and people-centered initiatives to transform Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into Pakistan’s greenest, most environmentally resilient, and climate-adaptive province.
Concluding the session, he appealed to citizens, educational institutions, civil society organizations, youth, the media, and the private sector to treat tree plantation not merely as a seasonal campaign but as a people’s movement, stating:
“Every tree planted today is a lasting investment in a safer, greener, more prosperous, and climate-resilient future for generations to come.”
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