ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa while highlighting the significance of trees on Monday said the “trees are life so every one of us should attach high priority to planting saplings all across the country.” On part of Pakistan Army, he said, 10 million saplings during the current monsoon would be planted across the country in coordination with civilian organizations at national and provincial levels. Addressing the participants of the inauguration of nationwide tree plantation campaign – Sarsabz-o-Shadab Pakistan – at the Race Course Park in Rawalpindi, he said, “We have gathered here for a national cause as the country is in dire need of having more and more trees to avoid looming dangers of deforestation.” On the occasion, the wife of the COAS in her capacity as chief patron of the campaign said, “We all Pakistanis should come forward and play our role to ably take up the challenge of deforestation.” Referring to the alarming stage of deforestation in the country, she said, “It is the time for us to follow the approach of ‘now or never’. Pakistan is among seven top countries in deforestation.” “Sincere efforts are need of the hour,” she said, adding, “We want to give our next generations a greener Pakistan and we will leave no stone unturned to achieve the set goals in this direction.” “Each one of us should pledge that he or she will plant at least a sapling in every spring and monsoon. We should arrange for planting a sapling at birthdays of every child and the plantation should be done personally by the parents or by the child himself,” she proposed. “Every Pakistani has to work shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces in making this tree plantation campaign a complete success,” she stressed. Earlier, a senior officer of 10 Corps gave detailed briefing on the plantation campaign stating that the patches where forestation can be undertaken at mass level would be identified through satellite imagery. He said they had already started work in the cantonment and garrison areas of the country. During current season, he said, 10 million saplings would be planted during the monsoon and the plantation figures would enhance gradually with the passage of time. Besides the manual plantation, seeds of various species would be sprayed with the helicopters in the rugged terrain or inaccessible areas. He said a comprehensive research work had already been carried out to identify the plant species according to the earth specifications and environment of each area in different tropical regions so that specific saplings be planted in areas best suited to their vegetation, germination and environment. Earlier, the COAS and his wife along with a large number of officers and their families and school children planted saplings in the park. Published in Daily Times, August 14th 2018.