PESHAWAR - Provincial Secretary En­vironment Forests and Wildlife Department Sha­hidullah Khan has sought active support of trib­al people for achieving plantation targets set un­der 10 billion afforesta­tion project (10-BTAP) in South Waziristan trib­al district.

He sought tribesmen support while addressing a grand jirga at the office of Assistant Commission­er Wana in South Wa­ziristan with Ahmedzai Wazir elders in connec­tion with the 10-BTAP.

The secretary was ac­companied by Chief Con­servator of Forests Ali Gohar Khan, Conserva­tor Merged Areas Far­hat Ullah Khan, Division­al Forest Officer South Waziristan, Salim Khan Marwat, Assistant Com­missioner Wana, Amir Nawaz, officials of dis­trict administration and forest department.

Speaking on the occa­sion, the environment secretary said the 10-BTAP has been extend­ed to merged areas in­cluding South Waziristan where vast land was available for plantations.

He said sites for trees plantations have been identified in South Wa­ziristan where massive plantations would be car­ried out with the help of general public, farmers, educational institutes, na­tion building departments, and forest department.

The secretary said trees plantation was a continued charity and urged the tribesmen to plant maximum plants as they can during spring plantations campaign to make South Waziristan lush green.

Later on, the secretary Forests distributed free plants among tribesmen.

Shahidullah Khan also visited Forest Office at Wana where he planted a tree. Earlier, the secre­tary inspected planta­tion sites at Madi Jan Sar­wekai Sub-division and Spin Wana Sub-division in connection with 10-BTAP afforestation areas.

He directed the for­est department’s staff to work with dedication and professional commitment imperative to achieve the 10-BTAP targets in KP.

Following successful completion of first phase of BTAP under which over 1.20 billion plants were planted during 2014-17 in KP, the government has set another one billion plants target under 10-BTAP for the province to be sown by 2023 to offset the growing threats of cli­mate change.

The secretary said if ev­ery person plants at least five saplings and properly looks after it then 100 mil­lion trees would be planted in spring season. He added that together we can make Pakistan lush green be­sides countering the chal­lenge of climate change and global warming.

On this occasion, the tribal elders assured full support to the secretary forest for success of trees plantations campaign in South Waziristan.

Drive against

underage, without helmet motorists

Mansehra police on Monday started a cam­paign against underage drivers, one wheeling and motorcyclists with­out wearing helmet all over the district.

According to the police, on the directives of Dep­uty Inspector General (DIG) Hazara region, traf­fic police Abbottabad has started a massive crack­down against underage motorists, wrong driving, motorcyclists without a helmet and one wheel­ing.The traffic police is­sued challans to violators and booked many under 279 PPC. While talking to media, Traffic Warden In­spector Jamal Zeb Khan said this is the responsi­bility of traffic police of­ficers to stop the craze of one wheeling and save precious lives.