ISLAMABAD: In a major environmental initiative, weekly tree plantation drives will be launched across the capital after March 31 as part of a broader strategy to expand green cover and combat the growing impacts of climate change.

The announcement was made by Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Musadik Malik during a plantation event held at Shakarparian, organised by Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency in collaboration with Zong.

The minister said the campaign will run for at least one to two months across multiple locations in the city. He reiterated the government’s commitment to plant ten trees for every tree cut in Islamabad and confirmed that the commitment has now entered the implementation phase.

Highlighting the urgency of climate action, the minister warned that rising temperatures, carbon emissions and greenhouse gases are intensifying extreme weather events, including floods and glacier melt. He said trees play a crucial role in absorbing carbon dioxide, reducing heat, preventing soil erosion and improving air quality.

The minister emphasised that urban forestry directly improves quality of life by reducing temperatures and pollution in cities. He noted that saplings planted in earlier campaigns have shown healthy growth, reflecting improved protection and management of green areas.

Separately, Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore inaugurated the spring plantation drive by planting a sapling at the Prime Minister’s House. Calling tree plantation both a civic and moral responsibility, he urged public participation, stressing that collective action is essential to secure a cleaner and more resilient future.