Punjab government has launched a major campaign to restore Margalla Forest, engaging youth, women, and local communities. This initiative aims to combat climate change, improve air quality, and provide future generations a greener Pakistan. Over 500,000 trees will be planted this spring across Taxila, Rawalpindi, Murree, and Kahuta districts.
The campaign is driven by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, emphasizing environmental sustainability. Local children, school and college students, and youth actively participated in planting activities. Members of National and Provincial Assemblies, including Asiya Tunoli and Mohsin Ayub Khan, praised the campaign’s long-term impact on Pakistan’s future.
Chief Conservator of Punjab Forests, Iftikhar-ul-Hassan Farooqi, said the government is promoting tree planting and environmental awareness among youth. Special plantation campaigns are arranged for women to encourage broader community involvement. He noted that phased restoration efforts will ensure long-term ecological recovery in Margalla Forest.
Stone crushing activities had damaged the forest near Taxila since the 1980s. The Supreme Court of Pakistan, in 2020, ordered suspension of these activities and directed reforestation under Human Rights Case No. 318 of 1993. The Punjab Forest Department is now executing a systematic approach to rehabilitate the degraded areas and maintain ecological balance.
In addition to Margalla Forest, a new initiative will plant fruit-bearing trees on private lands in Murree, Kahuta, Kotli Sattian, and Rawalpindi. The project engages women and communities, providing social and economic benefits. Youth involvement is central, training them as ambassadors for Punjab’s environmental and sustainability programs.