Daily Times

Sir: Pakistan is currently facing a litany of problems. We are running out of water, we have already run out of power, and it seems we are moving towards a government shut down as well, unless the various political parties can come to mutual understanding over the formation of the provincial and central governments.

One of the biggest issue facing us however, and the rest of the world, is climate change. It threatens to harm the planet irreversibly and it is already causing mayhem across the globe, with unprecedented heat waves, snow storms, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions etc taking place everywhere.

Flooding has been a problem here in Pakistan as well, much of which is caused by our propensity to cut down trees, without replacing them with new ones. This leads to surface runoff, which in turn leads to flooding, among other issues. We cannot forget how much we rely on trees for various needs.

Not only do they help us make everyday items like furniture and paper, they are also our only source of oxygen on the planet, and I do not need to remind you the importance of the very air we breathe. Conservation of our trees and forests is also essential for the protection of our wildlife, and for maintaining the beauty of our natural wildlife.

It is high time that the government does everything in its power to not only maintain the level of trees in nature, but keep a check on the industries or corporations that lead to their damage. The PTI’s initiative in KPK to plant thousands of trees ned to be extended to rest of the country, so that we too can make a small contribution to the deterrence of climate change the world over.

HAIDER ALI

Karachi

Published in Daily Times, August 6^th 2018.