LAHORE: Expressing his concerns over a high level of air pollution and smog in Lahore, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said that urban forests will check air pollution and protect the environment, News reported. Addressing the inaugural ceremony of Miyawaki urban forest at Jilani Park in Lahore, PM Imran termed smog a “silent killer”, adding that it reduces 6 to 11 years of a person’s lifespan.
He urged the nation to join tree plantation drive as it is a matter of our children’s future. The Jilani Park’s Miyawalki Forest is one of the 51 sites being developed in Lahore to revive the city’s green cover and address the issues of pollution particularly smog. 51 sites have been chosen in Lahore to implement the Miyawaki concept whereby a jungle that grew in 50 years previously will now grow in 10 or 20 years, he said, adding, “This is an excellent first step.”
Earlier on February 8, Prime Minister Imran Khan had convened on Monday a session of the Prime Minister’s Committee on Climate Change to review the latest inventory reserves of Green House Gases (GHG) in Pakistan and progress made on Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme.
The session had been told that shift towards climate friendly Pakistan had been made possible due to increased forestation following the Billion Tree Tsunami (BTT) project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the ongoing Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme across the country.