Forests are not just resources but lifelines, says Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan

Khaleej Times

24-03-2025

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has long been at the forefront of Pakistan's environmental conservation efforts, recognising that forests are not just resources but lifelines for our people, biodiversity, and the planet, its top official says.
Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, Chief Minister, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said KP stands as Pakistan's Carbon Sink, with 37 per cent of its land is reserved for forests and national parks, removing 50 per cent of the nation's carbon emissions.
'With 40 per cent to 45 per cent of Pakistan's total forest cover, KP plays a crucial role in climate mitigation. However, conservation comes at a cost, with Rs3 billion spent annually on deforestation control and equivalent of Rs319 billion required for protection efforts — directly or indirectly into protecting and maintaining the forest of the size of the one that KP has,' Gandapur told Khaleej Times during an exclusive interview.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the third-largest province of Pakistan by population and the smallest province by area, has a varied geography of rugged mountain ranges, valleys, rolling foothills, and dense agricultural farms. It is bordered by Balochistan to the south; Punjab, Islamabad Capital Territory, and Azad Kashmir to the east; and Gilgit-Baltistan to the north and northeast. It shares an international border with Afghanistan to the west.
Investing in Green Energy
Since 2017, the Chief Minister said KP has allocated Rs675 billion for development projects that support forestation and afforestation efforts — directly or indirectly, yet sustainable funding remains essential. To maintain this momentum, the Chief Minister of KP advocates for a 10 per cent share of the National Finance Commission (NFC) award for forest conservation, following the successful model of India, where allocations increased from 7.5 per cent to 10 per cent.
'Our forests hold the potential to generate approximately Rs38 billion in voluntary carbon credits and approximately Rs115 billion in compliance markets, reinforcing the need for national and international support. By rewarding provinces for conservation efforts, we can ensure long-term ecological and economic benefits,' Gandapur said.
'In our first year in government, we have launched another ambitious project, Billion Trees Plus at an estimated cost of Rs7.5 billion to enhance KP's forest cover beyond 26 per cent. At the same time, we are investing in green energy through investments in hydropower and shifting our government institutes on solar power, including schools, colleges, universities, hospitals as well as other facilities,' the Chief Minister said.
Billion Trees Tsunami project was originally launched by former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2015 to turn the tide on land degradation and loss in the mountainous, formerly forested KP province in the Hindu Kush Mountain range. The then provincial government of PTI had claimed that one billion trees were planted.
The 'Billion Trees Plus' campaign is in full swing with senior officials of the district administration distributing saplings among departments in the district. According to the district administration, the drive has been launched in line with provincial government directives to increase forest cover and ensure a clean and healthy environment for citizens.
'This ambitious project aims to not only plant trees but also protect and restore entire ecosystems, while creating green jobs and improving livelihoods in the region,' according to an official.
Gandapur said KP's vision for a greener future includes incentivising forest budgets, promoting reforestation, compensating conservation trade-offs, and supporting local communities with healthcare, education, and employment.
'With collaborative efforts, we can protect our forests, strengthen Pakistan's resilience to climate change, and build a more sustainable future for generations to come,' the Chief Minister said.
The Billion Trees Plus project is an important programme of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's vision for a greener future and it strengthen Pakistan's resilience to climate change and generates thousands of jobs in the province, says a government official.
Muzammil Aslam, Advisor Finance, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), said the ambitious Billion Trees Plus project will also promote green tourism in the province as the KP Government has also introduced home stay project to encourage locals to build their home suitable for tourist stay.
'With Billion Trees Plus and forest management, the provincial government has created more than 175,000 jobs. All the forests under Billion Trees project are not developed on state land as majority of the area is private where forests have planted. It will give them ideal opportunity in revenue sharing in forest related output and carbon credits. With the scientific management of forest, it is estimated that Pakistan can generate up to $7 billion dollar worth of timber,' Aslam told Khaleej Times.
In reply to a question, he said this environment-friendly project is also helpful in promoting sustainable tourism in the province.
'Obviously, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is tourism hub of Pakistan. It attracted over 20 million tourists in 2024-25 from across Pakistan.
He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is currently working on four new tourism sites in the province. 'Already, the Billion Trees Plus project is underway and the KP govt has also introduced a home stay project to encourage locals to build their home suitable for tourist stay,' Aslam said.