Wednesday, PM Khan inaugurated Pakistan’s first smart forest in Rakh Jhok Forest, Sheikhupura. The forest is a part of the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project which will contribute an estimated $40 billion to the country’s economy and create around one million jobs.
Addressing the forest’s inauguration ceremony, PM Khan said the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project is “one of the biggest projects in Pakistan’s history.”
“This will be an exemplary project,” PM Khan said on the occasion. “It will change Pakistan and its environment.”
Read more: Why Pakistan needs a robust environmental policy
PM Khan inaugurated the forest by personally planting trees at Rakh Jhok. After that, the official Twitter account of the Prime Minister’s Office uploaded images from the event.
“Prime Minister Imran Khan today reached Rakh Jhok Forest, Sheikhupura and inaugurated Pakistan’s first smart forest by planting trees,” the tweet read.
وزیر اعظم عمران خان آج رکھ جھوک جنگل (Rakh Jhok Forest)، شیخوپورہ پہنچے اور پودا لگا کر پاکستان کے پہلے سمارٹ جنگل کا افتتاح کیا۔
رکھ جھوک جنگل (RakhJhokForest# )، راوی اربن ڈویلپمنٹ اتھارٹی (RUDA) کا ایک اہم منصوبہ ہے جو 24000 کنال اراضی پر محیط ہے۔ pic.twitter.com/a4ttoVFWkF
— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) August 25, 2021
According to details, the smart forest will function via sensors and a surveillance system. To clarify, special technology will monitor the growth of almost every plant under this scheme. Moreover, sensors will alert relevant authorities if a tree was being cut down.
Read more: PM Khan’s fight against climate change gathers praise
PM Khan’s vision for a greener Pakistan
Global warming and climate change are matters of great concern for PM Khan. Massive forest destruction in Pakistan adversely impacted wildlife. According to PM Khan, Allah has blessed Pakistan with a lot of resources that should be protected.
Moreover, deforestation affects the environment, and it is important to plant trees as Pakistan faces a huge threat from global warming.
Therefore, PM Khan set on a mission to make Pakistan green again. Under his leadership, the PTI government planted one billion trees in three years. With massive plantation drives, PM Khan aims to plant 10 billion trees in Pakistan.
Recently, Pakistan broke the record for planting 50,000 seeds in 60 seconds. PM Khan also launched “the world’s biggest” Miyawaki urban forest in Lahore.
Read more: PM Khan to inaugurate world’s largest Miyawaki forest in Lahore