ISLAMABAD: A drive to plant one million trees during the upcoming spring season in the federal capital has kicked off, albeit sans a mechanism to gauge its outcomes.

As the campaign was unveiled, sources were quick in pointing out that similar campaigns had been launched in the past but due to a lack of proper monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, some of them turned out to be a futile exercise.Launched by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and other stakeholders, the drive aims to address environmental issues including smog, according to officials.

The campaign was initiated during a ceremony held at Islamabad Model College for Boys, F-8/4 on Wednesday.

The launching ceremony was attended by the Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam, CDA Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa and Secretary of Education Mohyluddin Wani.

Civil society members, students from various educational institutions, corporate sector representatives and others participated in the ceremony.

Earlier on Tuesday, InteriorMinister Mohsin Naqvi announced that a special campaign had been designed to enhance the federal capital`s green cover.

The minister said that CDA was going to start a `massive tree plantation campaign in Islamabad to make this city greener and smogresilient.

Contrary to the minister`s assertions, sources said similar claims were made in the past by successive administrations but the results did not come out as palpable as they were touted to be.

`It`s not for the first time that CDA has announced planting one million trees. Only time will tell if one million trees will be planted in the capital city during the course of the campaign.

The target is much appreciable, butthereisaneedforproperrecord-keeping and numbering of saplings so that CDA workers properly take care of plants to ensure their survival,` said an official on the condition of anonymity.

He said that otherwise, nobody would know the exact figure of survived trees.

Another source suggested that the CDA chairman should keep a vigilant eye on this particular tree plantation campaign as in past too, CDA officials were accused of running phony campaigns.

He said that many years ago, a reportedly fake campaign was launched along the Islamabad Expressway.

However, a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) probe was launched following allegations of corruption.

Similarly, sources said that a few days ago, a CDA environment mem-ber also pointed out discrepancies in the number of actual saplings and those on the paperin certain areas of the West Zone in the federal capital.

They said that the environment wing claimed they planted 15,550 plants in the West Zone last year, but on-site, hardly 5,000 plants were present.

Sources in CDA further said that all three directors of the environment directorate had been directed by the CDA chief and members to plant four lac trees in their respective areas.

Earlier, speaking at the launching ceremony, Chairman CDA said that in line with the instructions of Prime Minister Pakistan Mian Shahbaz Sharif, the campaign would focus on planting as many trees as possible to enhance thegreen cover of Islamabad.

He added that this year, CDA in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Climate Change will plant one million trees across the city.

Mr Randhawa also mentioned that this year, fruit-bearing trees such as guava, figs, pomegranates, and others will be planted.

Similarly, indigenous species like mulberry, citrus, maple leaf, and other varieties will also be included in the campaign.

The CDA chief further stated that civil society, the private sector and corporate entities should actively participate in the campaign.

He also urged the ministry of education to encourage students to conduct research on carbon credits and to organise seminars on this topic in educational institutions.