ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have urged citizens to actively participate in the Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign 2026, emphasizing that increasing forest cover is essential for making Pakistan greener and more resilient to climate change.

In his message on the campaign’s launch, President Zardari said the national initiative reflected a collective responsibility to protect the environment, restore degraded landscapes and build a climate-resilient Pakistan.

He highlighted the importance of forests in protecting biodiversity and watersheds, combating desertification, improving air quality and reducing disaster risks.

He urged citizens, particularly youth, educational institutions, organizations and local communities, not only to plant saplings but to also ensure their protection and survival.

The president said that the campaign aims to plant 20 million saplings across the country, adding, “the success of the drive should be measured by the number of healthy trees that survive and mature rather than merely by plantation figures.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his message, said that the government was committed to increasing Pakistan’s forest cover and improving soil fertility through the Green Pakistan Program and other natural solutions.

He urged federal and provincial governments, social and religious leaders and citizens from all walks of life to renew their commitment to tree plantation, describing it as a national duty rather than a symbolic activity.

The prime minister noted, “Pakistan’s forest cover stands at around 5%,” which he termed insufficient for environmental protection.

He stressed that increased plantation was essential to mitigate the impacts of climate change, particularly as Pakistan remains among the countries most vulnerable to its effects.