Pakistan hails China and Korea’s support for Green Pakistan

Islamabad: Pakistan has hailed the participation of Iron Brother China in promoting a Green Pakistan.

Acknowledging the participation of China and Korea in the country’s historically largest afforestation programme of the Prime Minister Imran Khan, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said the incumbent 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 on Thursday at the Korean Embassy, PM’s aide Malik Amin and the Korean Ambassador to Pakistan Suh Sangpyo pledged to work closely to boost PM Imran Khan’s green initiatives, particularly the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme (TBTTP) for boosting the country’s climate resilience.

On Wednesday, Chinese government 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 pledged that the Chinese government strongly supported the PM Imran Khan’s Clean Green Pakistan vision and various world-recognised programmes and projects being implemented under the vision.

He maintained that the Chinese government shared 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,” Ambassador Nong Rong stressed.

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 mentioned that Beijing had diverted one third of its electricity to CPEC-related projects at cheaper rates.

On Thursday meeting, Korean Ambassador Suh Sangpyo 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.

PM’s aide Malik Amin Aslam 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 governments, which aims at sustainable socio-economic growth, climate resilience, environmental conservation and protection.