Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has initiated emergency measures to tackle smog and air pollution, including a large-scale afforestation drive under the Chief Minister’s Plant for Pakistan Initiative. The plan aims to plant 42.5 million trees across 48,368 acres in the province.
According to Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, 7.361 million trees will be planted over 8,496 acres during the 2024-25 fiscal year, with a budget allocation of Rs. 1,800 million for the year. So far, Rs. 1,085 million has been spent, covering 60% of the estimated cost.
As part of the Spring Plantation Drive, 5.966 million trees will be planted on 6,637 acres across multiple districts, including Lahore, Kasur, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Murree, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, and Muzaffargarh. More than 300 locations have been identified for afforestation.
The project includes planting Moringa, Chir, Neem, Kikar, Sheesham, Sars, Bakain, Semal, Arjun, and various fruit-bearing trees. The Chief Minister’s Plant for Pakistan Initiative is expected to cost Rs. 8,000 million in total.
Under this initiative, forests, riverbanks, canals, roadsides, Potohar Plateau, Murree, and sandy regions will be transformed into green zones. So far, 2.73 million trees have been planted over 4,000 acres, according to the senior provincial minister.
