Punjab will cultivate 42.5 million plants over an area of 48,368 acres.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has implemented emergency steps to address haze and air pollution, including a comprehensive afforestation campaign as part of the Chief Minister’s Plant for Pakistan Initiative. The initiative intends to cultivate 42.5 million trees on 48,368 acres in the province.

Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced that 7.361 million trees will be planted on 8,496 acres in the 2024-25 fiscal year, with a budget of Rs. 1,800 million allocated for this initiative. To date, Rs. 1,085 million has been expended, accounting for 60% of the projected expenditure.

During the Spring Plantation Drive, 5.966 million trees would be planted over 6,637 acres in several districts, including Lahore, Kasur, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Murree, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, and Muzaffargarh. Over 300 sites have been designated for afforestation.

The project encompasses the cultivation of Moringa, Chir, Neem, Kikar, Sheesham, Sars, Bakain, Semal, Arjun, and several fruit-bearing trees. The Chief Minister’s Plant for Pakistan Initiative is projected to incur a total expenditure of Rs. 8,000 million.

This effort will convert woods, riverbanks, canals, roadsides, the Potohar Plateau, Murree, and arid areas into green zones. According to the senior provincial minister, 2.73 million trees have been planted across 4,000 acres to date.