Peshawar: As Pakistan gears up to celebrate its 79th Independence Day with traditional patriotic zeal on August 14, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s nurseries’ farmers have transformed into bustling centres of activity, preparing millions of saplings for what officials describe as one of the province’s largest-ever Independence Day plantation campaigns.
At his 10-marla nursery in Tarnab on the outskirts of Peshawar, 35-year-old Tariq Ali works tirelessly despite the sweltering summer heat, watering thousands of young saplings destined for plantations across the province.
“We have received large orders for the Independence Day plantation campaign, ” Tariq said while supervising workers loading saplings for dispatch.
“We have hired extra labourers because demand has increased sharply ahead of August 14. It is satisfying to know these trees will contribute to a greener Pakistan. ”
The provincial government has set a target of planting 1. 4 million saplings on Independence Day across all 38 districts, including the seven merged tribal districts, with participation from government departments, educational institutions, civil society organisations, farmers, village development committees and the general public.
Tarnab, one of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s largest nursery and floriculture hubs, is witnessing unprecedented activity as growers race against time to meet the surge in demand during the monsoon plantation season.
For hundreds of nursery owners, the national plantation campaign has created fresh business opportunities while reinforcing the message that celebrating Independence Day also means protecting the country’s natural heritage for future generations.
However, Tariq has appealed to the provincial government to introduce interest-free loans for nursery owners, saying losses caused by unsold or damaged plants during the monsoon season can significantly affect small growers.
Secretary for Climate Change, Forests, Environment and Wildlife, Junaid Khan, has said that planting trees is synonymous with securing a safe and sustainable future for coming generations, while cutting down a tree is not merely the loss of timber but a blow to the environment, biodiversity, water resources and the rights of future generations.
He said growing a tree requires patience, commitment and years of care, whereas felling one takes only a few moments, making forest conservation a collective national, moral and constitutional responsibility.
Junaid Khan in open katcheri said forest officers and personnel were the true custodians of the province’s forests and green frontiers, and must ensure the protection of forests, natural resources and wildlife at all costs.
He stressed that safeguarding forests was not the sole responsibility of government institutions, but required active participation from every segment of society.
The secretary said the province-wide monsoon plantation campaign had gained momentum with the onset of seasonal rains. Besides planting millions of saplings across all districts, the Forest Department was also distributing free saplings among citizens to encourage maximum public participation in the campaign.
He said tree plantation remained one of the most effective and sustainable measures to combat the growing threats of climate change, rising temperatures, air pollution, floods, landslides and water scarcity.
Junaid Khan announced that the Forest Department had designated Pakistan Day (March 23) and Independence Day (August 14) as permanent calendar events for holding mega plantation drives across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa each year.
He said the initiative was aimed at advancing Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Suhail Afridi’s vision of a “Green Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” while promoting an environmentally responsible lifestyle among the public.
Highlighting ongoing plantation activities, Junaid Khan said large-scale tree plantation was under way along major highways and urban centres, including the Indus Highway, Peshawar-Kohat Road, Kohat-Rawalpindi Road, Hazara Motorway, Swat Expressway, ring roads, bypasses and major routes passing through Kohat, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Mardan, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Buner, Shangla, Malakand, Dir, Chitral and Hazara Division.
He said plantation was also being carried out on government land, open spaces and other suitable locations to expand the province’s green cover.
To ensure the survival of newly planted saplings, the secretary said the department had prepared a comprehensive five-year maintenance and protection plan under which every plant would be regularly monitored, irrigated and protected.
He added that in Peshawar, particularly Hayatabad and other urban areas, large shade trees, ornamental plants and indigenous species were being planted along roadsides, in parks, green belts, government buildings, educational institutions, hospitals and other public places to improve the urban environment and reduce pollution.
Junaid Khan said no plantation campaign could achieve lasting success without public participation. He announced that the Forest Department would distribute millions of free saplings, including fruit-bearing, shade and indigenous tree species, to encourage every household, village, educational institution and citizen to become part of the province’s green movement.
He further disclosed that the department was finalising an innovative programme under which mega plantations would be established on large agricultural holdings and communal lands. Landowners would be responsible for protecting and maintaining the trees and, in return, would receive financial incentives.
The secretary said the rapidly expanding global carbon credit market offered an exceptional economic opportunity for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as international organisations and private investors were increasingly interested in financing environmentally sustainable projects.
He said such investments could attract billions of rupees to the province, generate employment, strengthen the rural economy, conserve natural resources and encourage local communities to protect forests by linking conservation with economic benefits.
Deputy Director of the Trees Afforestation Programme, Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, said the campaign would combine government resources with the contribution of private nurseries to achieve the ambitious target.
Government departments, educational institutions, village development committees, NGOs, farmers, private organisations and citizens will actively participate in the Independence Day plantation drive, he said.
He recalled that more than one million saplings were planted at over 250 locations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the Pakistan Day plantation campaign on March 23 this year, describing it as a successful model for the upcoming Independence Day initiative.
Participants will also be encouraged to upload plantation activities and videos on the KP Forest Department’s online dashboard to promote public participation and monitor progress.
Highlighting the environmental significance of the campaign, Ibrahim said Pakistan remains among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, with rising temperatures threatening glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral and increasing the frequency of extreme weather events.
He said Pakistan possesses more than 200 indigenous tree species and nine distinct forest ecosystems stretching from the deodar forests of the Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindukush to the mangroves along the Arabian Sea coast.
“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has around 26. 6 percent forest cover, while vast tracts of land in the merged tribal districts offer immense potential for expanding native forests during future plantation campaigns, ” he added.
Environmental experts said restoring indigenous species such as Shisham, Neem, Peepal, Siris, Kikar, Deodar, Kail and Walnut can improve air quality, enhance biodiversity and strengthen resilience against climate change.
Dr Mumtaz Malik, former Chief Conservator Wildlife Department, stressed that the success of plantation campaigns depends not only on planting millions of saplings but also on ensuring their survival.
“Tree plantation must be followed by proper watering, protection and maintenance. Indigenous species should be prioritised because they are better adapted to local climatic conditions, ” he said.
Peshawar Valley, once renowned for its dense forests, has experienced a significant decline in green cover due to rapid urbanisation, expanding housing schemes and unchecked development, contributing to worsening air quality.
Environmental officials said increasing tree cover remains one of the most effective natural solutions for reducing air pollution, lowering temperatures and improving public health.
As the nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day, thousands of nursery workers, forest officials, volunteers and citizens are turning the spirit of patriotism into practical action by planting trees that will benefit generations to come.
For Tariq and countless others working in KP’s nurseries, every sapling dispatched ahead of August 14 represents more than a commercial sale rather it symbolises hope for a greener, healthier and more climate-resilient Pakistan.
