ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif inaugurated the Green Pakistan Programme by planting a tree in the capital on Thursday, a statement issued by the PM Office said.

According to the statement, the PM was quoted as saying that Feb 9 would be observed as Green Pakistan Day every year and around 100 million indigenous species saplings were being planted today in collaboration with all four provinces.

Separately, the Green Pakistan Programme was inaugurated by Federal Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid.

`The Green Pakistan Program was launchedin allthefour provinces and the federating units simultaneously today. It is important to increase Pakistan`s forest cover from five percent to combat the adverse affects of climate change,` Mr Hamid said at a press conference held at the ministry.

He said Feb 9 has been declared National Green Day and that nearly 100 universities also took part in the campaign.The federal and provincial governments, international donors, the civil society and corporate bodies are working in achieving the target of planting 257 million plants in an effort to cope with environmental issues, he said.

Giving a breakdown of the funding approved by the Executive Council of National Economic Council to be spent over the next five years, the minister said: `A total of Rs3.7 billion will be spent on forestry and another Ra1.3 billion have been dedicated to ensure the sustainability of wildlife` Talking about the Green Pakistan Program, Mr Hamid said it was aimed at growing indigenous trees in Pakistan.

`The programme will be conducted by engaging rural and urban populations.

The Ministry of Climate Change is working with the civil society, international organisations and private sectors in this regard,` he said.

A Climate Change Policy has been approved by the National Assembly and will be introduced in the Senate next week, he said.

The minister introduced the ReducingEmissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Program as well, which is an agreement between various countries in the UN, under which carbon emitting developed countries will pay countries, which will go towards saving forests.

`This programme has been especially developed to discourage the cutting down of trees for financial benefit,` he said.

The Prime Minister`s Focal Person on Climate Change Syed Rizwan Mehboob explained the concept behind the Green Pakistan campaign, which was to change the attitude of communities towards forests, especially when Pakistan is among the ten countries most vulnerable to climate change.

`A national record has been set on Thursday of planting such a large number of indigenous saplings of trees in a single day. Chir pine, deodar, babul, sheesham, phulai, khandi and mangrove have been planted in the campaign across the country,` he said.

`We aim to increase forest cover and promote biodiversity. At least 20pc of the saplings planted as part of the campaign are flowering trees or will bear fruit,` he added.