Hailing the participation of China and Korea in the country’s historically largest afforestation programme of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Special Assistant to PM on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam on Thursday said the government was committed to work with global community to tackle adverse fallouts of the global warming on lives and livelihoods of the people.
Addressing a launching ceremony of Pakistan-Korea Friendship Forest Initiative (Phase-II) held here at the Korean Embassy, PM’s aide Malik Amin and the Korean Ambassador to Pakistan Suh Sangpyo pledged to work closely for boosting PM Imran Khan’s green initiatives, particularly the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme (TBTTP) for boosting the country’s climate resilience.
The Korean ambassador told the participants of the event that under the Pakistan-Korea Friendship Forest Initiative (Phase-II), 10,000 saplings of different fruit and non-fruit species would be planted in different parts of the country to improve the environment and strengthen livelihoods of the local communities.
He recalled that the Korean government had already planted 6,000 saplings of different varieties in support to PM Imran Khan’s TBTTP, which has gained a global recognition and appreciation.
“The Korean government looks at the largest afforestation programme of the Pakistani government as an opportunity to help improve the country’s overall environmental conditions and enhance resilience against unfolding deleterious impacts of climate change on various socio-economic sectors,” the Korean Ambassador to Pakistan Suh Sangpyo told SAPM Malik Amin Aslam during a meeting on the sidelines of the event.
He also assured the SAPM the Korean government’s all-out support to help build up capacity of the country’s various sectors to cope with negative impacts of the climate change through transfer of technical know-how, technology related to, among others, water, energy, agriculture and forestry sectors.
The PM’s aide thanked the Korean ambassador for gifting 10,000 saplings, reflecting Korean government’s recognition of the PM Imran Khan’s Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme and support to his vision for clean green Pakistan.
Later, the SAPM and Korean Ambassador kicked off the plantation by planting a pine tree sapling at the Embassy of Korea and exchanged views on the green vision of both both governments, which aims at sustainable socio-economic growth, climate resilience, environmental conservation and protection.
Earlier on Wednesday, Chinese government also gifted 7,000 saplings for plantation along different national highways/motorways to help fight surging vehicular and non-vehicular air pollution and environmental degradation.
Chinese ambassador Nong Rong gifted the saplings to Pakistan at a ceremony held here at the Chinese embassy to mark 70 years of Pak-China friendship.
While addressing the ceremony, the Chinese ambassador said that the Chinese government strongly support the PM Imran Khan’s Clean Green Pakistan vision and various world-recognised programmes and projects being implemented under the vision.
He said that the Chinese government shares the vision of the PM Khan and has pledged to support at all levels the green and clean Pakistan programmes and projects, particularly the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme.
“Basically, gifting of the 7,000 saplings is an strong indication of the Chinese government’s faith in the incumbent government’s vision for clean green and climate-resilient Pakistan and various programmes and projects initiated under it,” the Chinese envoy Nong Rong told SAPM Malik Amin Aslam.
He announced that the Chinese embassy, in fact, formally joined Prime Minister Imran Khan’s flagship TBTTP on this occasion.
“China also has nuclear, solar, hydro and wind power plants apart from coal power plants and can contribute to the renewable energy transition,” he added.
Highlighting the importance of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, he said Beijing had diverted one third of its electricity to CPEC-related projects at cheaper rates.
Addressing the ceremony as chief guest, Malik Amin Aslam lauded China’s support to the flagship TBTTP programme and PM Khan’s clean green Pakistan vision and hailed the gift of 7,000 saplings plantation to commemorate 70 years of friendly ties between the two brotherly countries.
The special assistant and Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong jointly planted a pine tree sapling at the Chinese embassy and exchanged views on the green vision of both sides focused on sustainable growth and environmental protection.
