Realizing the growing challenges of environmental pollution in the country, the Punjab Highway Patrol (PHP) is going to launch a 15-day tree plantation drive across Punjab under which more than seven million saplings will be planted under the Clean and Green Pakistan programme initiated by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

"Punjab Highway Patrol has decided to launch a 15-day tree plantation campaign to reduce environmental pollution under the Clean and Green Pakistan programme on the direction of Punjab IGP Shoaib Dastgir," said PHP Additional IG Zafar Iqbal Awan while talking to reporters here on Friday.

He said the campaign will be started from February 15-30 under which millions of plants will be planted throughout Punjab. In this regard, all the regional PHP SPs have been directed to take part in the drive and make it successful, he added.

According to the plan, there are 355 checkpoints of the PHP and nearly 2,000 saplings will be planted in each patrolling post. Hence, a total of 710,000 trees will be planted under the 15-day campaign, the AIG said, adding that plants for this campaign will be acquired from the Forest Department, Punjab Horticulture Authority (PHA) and private nurseries through community policing.

"Only soil and environment-friendly plants will be planted so that they can grow and maximize their growth. Moreover, all the PHP officials have been directed to take part in the drive and plant at least one tree as their efforts would reduce the environmental pollution," added the AIG. It may be noted here that the environmental degradation is one of the major causes of the country as it reduces natural resources such as air, water and soil and destroys ecosystems and habitat which leads to the deforestation and wildlife extinction.