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NOWSHERA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Friday inaugurated a mega tree plantation campaign at Spin Khak in Nowshera as part of Independence Day celebrations, by planting saplings at the site.
Speaking at the ceremony, the chief minister said the province had set a target of planting 1.4 million saplings in a single day, but the Forest Department had surpassed the target by planting 1.7 million saplings across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Sohail Afridi expressed his commitment to making Khyber Pakhtunkhwa greener and announced that the plantation campaign would be expanded to every corner of the province.
He said the provincial government was spending public money on projects whose benefits would reach future generations. He appreciated the performance of Forest Department and said local residents of Garhi Chandan had received Rs70 million from forest-generated revenue.
The chief minister said the plantation drive would be expanded in view of recent flash floods and cloudburst incidents, stressing the importance of increasing forest cover to help address environmental challenges.
He said public welfare remained the PTI’s foremost priority and that alongside its political struggle, the party was also working on projects aimed at benefiting future generations.
Sohail Afridi directed the Forest Department to establish tourist huts in forest areas across the province to promote tourism and generate economic opportunities for local communities.
He also directed the department to attract foreign tourists and ensure that each foreign visitor planted a tree in his or her own name.
The chief minister said the vision behind the provincial government’s current initiatives had been presented by PTI founder Imran Khan. He said they had joined PTI for the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law and would continue their struggle until the objective was achieved.
He said the plantation campaign was a part of the government’s broader commitment to environmental protection, sustainable development and creating a better future for coming generations.
He claimed that public money had not been wasted on unnecessary projects in the past saying the provincial government was committed to using state resources for the welfare and development of people.
Sohail Afridi also urged the people of Spin Khak to participate fully in the September 27 public gathering, expressing the hope that more than two million people would march towards Islamabad.
Sohail Afridi said more than two million people would be brought to Islamabad on September 27, and that he would personally lead the long march. He said they would return only after achieving their objective.
He said positions, wealth and protocol could not divert him from his political vision. He added that he had not entered politics for power or financial gains but to support Imran Khan’s struggle for justice, change and what he described as “real freedom”.
The chief minister said he would not rest until what he called real freedom and the rule of law were established in the country.
Sohail Afridi also alleged that Imran Khan had been unjustly imprisoned, saying that alongside efforts for good governance, the provincial government would continue its political struggle for his release. He urged supporters to head towards Islamabad on September 27, saying the long march had been named “Bilqees”.
The chief minister also praised the public for turning various intersections into “D-Chowks” on the night of August 13, saying the enthusiasm displayed by young people should be maintained.
