Daily Times

Federal Minster for Communications & Postal Services Murad Saeed has said that promise of elimination of corruption shall be fulfilled. Under clean and Green Pakistan program, pragmatic steps are being taken for plantation along national highways and motorways. He was addressing signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ministry of Communications and Ministry of Climate Change for implementation of Project titled “Apni Shahrah” to establish plantation in the Right of Way of Motorways and National Highways in the country.

State Minister for Climate Change Ms. Zartaj Gul, Federal Secretary for Communications Mr. Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, Federal Secretary Climate Change Mr. Hasan Nasir Jami, Chairman National Highway Authority Mr. Jawwad Rafique Malik and Senior Officers of both the Ministries participated. Senior Joint Secretary Communications Mr. Altaf Asghar and Inspector General (Forest) from Ministry of Climate Change Syed Mehmood Nasir signed the MoU. Project “Apni Shahrah” envisages engaging donors and sponsors from civil society, business community and private organizations in planting and maintaining trees within Right of Way of National Highways & Motorways as part of Clean and Green Pakistan, a program of the Government. As per MOU, potential sites for plantation will be made available by Ministry of Communications and maintenance of plantation will be carried out as roads maintenance activity.

‘Ten billion trees will be planted under Clean and Green Pakistan campaign’, says Murad Saeed

Addressing the ceremony, Murad Saeed said, as per vision of Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, Ten billion trees will be planted under Clean and Green Pakistan campaign and that signing of MOU between Ministry of Communications & Ministry of Climate Change is a step forward to this direction. Besides completing ongoing schemes, he desired to undertake new road building projects on BOT basis. Improved health and education facilities and provision of clean drinking water, promotion of tourism and building of farm to market roads stand among priorities of the Government, he added. Zartaj Gul in her address said that Ministry of Climate Change has initiated “Apni Shahrah” project with Ministry of Communications that will be realised with the partnerships of business community, civil society and NGOs in making country clean & green. Under this project, Right of Way of national highways and motorways will be utilised for plantation. She said, planting trees is “Sadqa-i-Jarya” and that trees provide protection against floods, heat waves and disasters. This afforestation move will also enhance national revenue, she stressed.

Published in Daily Times, February 13^th 2019.