Pakistan Housing Authority Foundation (PHAF), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Housing and Works, has launched a plantation campaign titled ‘Aik Beti Aik Shajar’ in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCCEC) at its housing project located on Kurri Road, Islamabad.
The ceremony was chaired by Federal Minister for Housing and Works Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, while Minister of State for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr. Shezra Ali Khan Kharal inaugurated the drive by planting saplings. The initiative was launched on the special directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. For this housing project alone, MoCCEC has provided 600 saplings.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada underlined the significance of plantation in a country severely hit by climate change. He observed that flash floods and natural calamities are the direct result of deforestation. Stressing that protection of plants is even more vital than planting them, he described it as a national duty to safeguard trees. He also praised PHAF CEO Shahid Hussain and his team for arranging the event and urged that such initiatives should be replicated across all housing societies to integrate environmental sustainability into their development models.
In her remarks, Dr. Shezra Mansab Ali Khan Kharal highlighted that trees play a critical role in stabilizing land, maintaining water levels, and protecting the environment during disasters. Referring to her visits to flood-affected areas of Swat and Buner, she termed the devastation as horrific and explained that the campaign was named in the context of daughters and women, who are among the most vulnerable to climate change impacts.
She stressed that plantation is the only effective solution to mitigate climate change risks and reiterated Pakistan’s demand for climate justice, noting that the country contributes the least to global emissions but bears the greatest losses. She emphasized the need for adopting climate-resilient policies and sustainable living practices to build long-term resilience.