？ Inaugurates Miyawaki forest developed over 100 kanals
？ Holds meetings to review law, order and uplift projects in Punjab
LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said Pakistan has contributed more than its capacity to check global warming and that the future generations will know his party’s government left a better Pakistan for them than what it inherited.
Mr Khan was speaking after inaugurating the Miyawaki urban forest at Saggian as part of the monsoon drive under the ‘10 Billion Tree Tsunami’ campaign on Monday. The forest has been developed over 100 kanals and carries some 165,000 plants that will grow 10 times quicker than a normal forest owing to the unique Miyawaki concept.
The premier also held separate meetings with Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar at Governor House and reviewed law and order and development projects in Punjab.
Till 2013, the premier said, only 640 million trees had been planted in Pakistan, while during 2013-18 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone, some billion trees were planted. Now, he said, his government’s target was to plant 10 billion trees across the country. He added that the Miyawaki forest absorbed carbon emissions and protected the environment.
The prime minister urged the nation, particularly the youth, to plant and protect trees for a better environment in Pakistan.
Dedicating the forest to Prof Akira Miyawaki, after whom the concept is named and who died last month, Mr Khan said a report published by leading scientists had revealed that human beings had damaged the world’s environment beyond repair leading to global warming. People around the world should now struggle to protect the environment by planting and rearing trees, he added.
Parks and Horticulture Authority Director General Jawad Qureshi briefed the prime minister about the Miyawaki forest asserting that it would sink carbon and serve as lungs for Lahore besides reviving the status of the provincial capital as the city of gardens.
During his daylong visit to the city, the prime minister held separate meetings with the governor and chief minister at the Governor House and discussed law and order, administrative matters, measures to provide relief to people, controlling hoarding and price hike as well as reviewed ongoing development projects in Punjab.
The governor and CM briefed the PM about the steps taken to protect the rights of minorities and updated him about the restoration of the vandalised temple in Bhong, Rahim Yar Khan.
Governor Sarwar briefed PM Khan about the projects under the Punjab Aab-i-Pak Authority and overseas Pakistanis’ trust in the policies of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government.
He said an ‘Overseas Pakistani Convention’ would soon be convened at Governor House where foreign investors would be invited to invest across the country, including in Punjab.
PM Khan lauded the efforts of the governor for launching more than 1,500 projects under Punjab Aab-i-Pak Authority for provision of clean drinking water to the people. He also acknowledged Mr Sarwar’s services for resolving the problems of overseas Pakistanis.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, the governor said all the federal and Punjab government departments concerned were on the same page for the provision of clean drinking water to the people of Punjab. He asserted that provision of basic necessities, including clean water, to the people would be ensured. “With the support of non-governmental organisations and without any government fund, we will provide safe drinking water to the same number of people as the number of beneficiaries of the Aab-i-Pak authority,” the governor committed.
In his meeting with Chief Minister Buzdar, the prime minister was briefed about strict implementation of coronavirus standard operating procedures during Muharram.
Later in the day, the PM left for Karachi.
Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2021