Meet Pakistani polio survivor on a mission to plant ‘10 million trees’

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Updated 14 June 2024
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Meet Pakistani polio survivor on a mission to plant ‘10 million trees’

  • 33-year-old Khizar Wali Chishti says he has planted over 152,000 saplings across Pakistan since 2014
  • Chishti was recognized this month by Plant 4 Pakistan project of government’s Green Pakistan Initiative

ISLAMABAD: Khizar Wali Chishti was a young boy when he lost a leg to polio, and though he continued his early education in his hometown of Pakpattan in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province, an enduring memory of his childhood was spending time in the solace of a large neem tree in the courtyard of his home.
Years later, when the tree was cut down to create more living space in the house, the loss had a lasting effect on the young boy. By the time he was in his twenties, Chishti had a purpose: to plant trees and wage a fight against climate change in Pakistan, one of the countries most vulnerable to climate threats.
Since 2014, Chishti has traveled across Pakistan and planted 152,000 plants all over the country, aided by an organically driven network of students, teachers and other volunteers mobilized using social media.
On June 4, Chishti was among 20 individuals recognized for their work by ‘Plant 4 Pakistan,’ a flagship project of the government’s Green Pakistan Initiative that focuses on ecosystem restoration, climate change combat, social and agricultural plantations, and community engagement in environmental conservation.
“Before recognizing Chishti, we have checked and vetted his work with our staff in different cities and are impressed by his tree plantation efforts and follow-up on the plants,” Khawaja Mazhar, the coordinator of the Plant 4 Pakistan project, told Arab News.
“He has a good model of planting trees, mostly in government and private institutions, by urging them to take care of the plants so they do not go to waste. I have seen him planting trees for the last five years and working on building teams, motivating communities to contribute to the Green Pakistan [Initiative].”
Chishti, now 33 and a schoolteacher with a Master’s degree in Geography, leads a team of nearly 1,000 volunteers, mostly students from across Pakistan, who assist him in planting trees in their native villages, towns and cities, a mission he began in 2014. The young man also owns a nursery that distributes around 100,000 saplings annually and maintains a log of trees planted by his team on his Facebook profile.
“I have dedicated my entire life to planting trees and aim to achieve the monumental goal of planting 10 million in my lifetime,” Chishti, now a father of two, told Arab News this week. “I have planted 152,000 plants all over Pakistan. I have a nursery to give plants free of cost.”
Chishti said he had traveled to various cities to engage teachers and students to join his mission.
“They register with me and are added to regional WhatsApp groups where we coordinate plantation drives, transport saplings, and collaborate with local activists to source free plants,” he said.
“My next target is to visit 400 cities nationwide to train 10,000 children in indoor kitchen and rooftop-gardening.”
To ensure sustainability, Chishti primarily plants trees in government institutions, such as schools, after signing formal agreements.
“We planted saplings in schools, hospitals, and institutions that signed agreements to care for them, and we maintained our activities on my social media page, which serves as an automatic log of our plantation campaigns and motivates others to join us,” he said, adding that if any plant died, his team replanted it to maintain its commitment to the mission.
“INSPIRATION”
Pakistan is ranked the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change globally, with nearly 10,000 deaths and $3.8 billion in economic losses between 1999 and 2018, according to the Global Climate Risk Index. Climate-induced rains and subsequent flooding in the 2022 monsoons submerged a third of the South Asian country, killing around 1,700 people and affecting more than 33 million — almost the entire population of Canada. The country is also beset by frequent heat waves and droughts.
To raise awareness about climate threats and solutions, Chishti has been organizing an annual tree festival in Pakpattan since 2020, where he invites experts from various regions to educate attendees on the significance of planting native trees and provide insights on kitchen-gardening techniques.
And even as Pakistan baked under heatwave conditions this May and well into June, Chishti continued his work without sponsorships, bearing the expenses of planting trees solely from his salary as a schoolteacher.
“I allocate a portion of my salary for this cause,” he explained. “My students also contribute, and friends often gift me trees, enabling me to continue my mission.”
A backbone of the effort are Chishti’s “SHajjar Dost” groups on WhatsApp through which he mobilizes and engages young people in different cities using motivational messages, never asking for funding other than contributions to plantation drives.
Mehvish Sultana, a skills training professional from Lahore, joined Chishti’s team as a volunteer after learning kitchen-gardening during one of his plantation drives.
“I joined his team as a volunteer around two years ago, and there are about 300 other members in our [online] group,” she told Arab News. “All of us are motivated by Chishti and work without any reward, simply to contribute to making Pakistan green.”
Sultana said her group had planted around 4,000 saplings in Lahore’s Kinnaird College, two graveyards, and institutions affiliated with Punjab Group of Colleges.
“He (Chishti) has many such volunteers in different SHajjar Dost WhatsApp groups, who willingly work with him,” she added.
Mazhar, the Plant 4 Pakistan coordinator, said he had visited Chishti’s nursery where he grew native plants to distribute them free of cost.
“He (Chishti) indeed is doing tremendous work and logging it on Facebook to motivate others,” he said, describing Chishti as an “inspiration” for others.


PM Sharif hails Ramadan relief success, orders digital wallet model for future welfare programs

Updated 05 April 2025
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PM Sharif hails Ramadan relief success, orders digital wallet model for future welfare programs

  • Government transferred cash directly into digital wallets to provide Ramadan relief to deserving citizens
  • Over 951,000 digital wallets were used and 1.9 million payments made, according to official statistics

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday lauded the successful implementation of Pakistan’s Ramadan Relief Package 2025, praising the transparent use of digital wallets for fund distribution and instructing officials to adopt the model for future government programs, state media reported.
The premier made the comments during a meeting in Islamabad to review the execution of the nationwide relief scheme, which aimed to provide financial support during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
The package, rolled out across the country including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, utilized digital tools to deliver assistance to beneficiaries and was promoted as a step toward the country’s broader digital transformation agenda.
Under the initiative, aid was transferred directly into recipients’ digital wallets — secure mobile accounts linked to national ID numbers — allowing beneficiaries to access funds via mobile apps, ATMs or designated agents without needing a traditional bank account.
“Appreciating the effective and transparent implementation of the Ramazan Relief Package 2025, [the prime minister] directed the authorities concerned to emulate this model in future government schemes,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported the PM Office as saying.
It said 1.9 million digital payments were made and over 951,000 digital wallets used, marking what officials described as a significant move toward realizing the “Digital Nation Pakistan” vision.
More than 823,000 women and over 2,500 persons with disabilities accessed the funds through digital platforms, APP added.
Authorities said 79 percent of the allocated funds had been disbursed, with a team of 2,224 employees resolving over 1,200 complaints during the scheme’s implementation.
Millions of robocalls, SMS alerts and outbound calls were also made to raise awareness, the report added.


Pakistan elected to UN narcotics commission with top regional vote share

Updated 05 April 2025
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Pakistan elected to UN narcotics commission with top regional vote share

  • Pakistan’s term at the commission will begin in 2026 and run through 2029
  • Commission members guide global drug policy and tackle transnational crime

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan was elected as a member of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) for a four-year term on Friday, securing the highest number of votes among member states contesting for seats from their respective regional groups, its UN mission said.
The CND, operating under the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), serves as the main policymaking body for international drug control.
Member states of the commission guide global narcotics regulations, including decisions on how certain substances are categorized and controlled.
Pakistan’s inclusion in the commission will allow it to influence international drug policy, particularly on issues affecting regional trafficking routes, public health and transnational crime.
“Pakistan is gratified by the resounding support received from ECOSOC,” the country’s mission to the United Nations said in a statement. “It reflects the confidence and trust reposed in Pakistan to play its active role in the CND as part of global counter narcotics efforts and multilateral policy discourse on drug related issues.”
“Pakistan has been at the forefront of global counter-narcotics efforts, playing a crucial role in combating illicit drug trafficking, production, and abuse,” the statement added.
Pakistan’s new term at the CND will begin in 2026 and continue through 2029.
The country has previously participated in global drug policy forums and says it looks forward to strengthening the role of the CND in ensuring effective and balanced international drug control in line with the UN conventions.


Pakistan urges UN to recover weapons left in Afghanistan, warns militants gaining access

Updated 56 min 38 sec ago
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Pakistan urges UN to recover weapons left in Afghanistan, warns militants gaining access

  • Pakistan tells the world body TTP and BLA militants are getting support from its ‘principal adversary’
  • It maintains militant groups are using new technologies like cryptocurrency to finance their activities

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday voiced concern at the United Nations Security Council over militant groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) acquiring sophisticated weapons, urging the international community to recover stockpiles left behind by foreign forces in Afghanistan.​
Pakistan has previously highlighted that US-led international forces abandoned automatic assault rifles and night vision devices in Afghanistan during their hurried withdrawal from Kabul in August 2021.
The pullout was widely criticized as unplanned and chaotic, leading to Congressional inquiries in the US and intense criticism of former US President Joe Biden’s administration.
However, the previous American government denied Pakistan’s claims, saying all military hardware was intended for the Afghan National Army, which collapsed as the Taliban seized power. US officials acknowledged that these weapons subsequently fell into the hands of the Taliban.​
“We know that non-state actors do not have many of the capabilities to manufacture advanced illicit arms, thus raising questions of culpability of certain state actors in these nefarious activities,” Syed Atif Raza, Counsellor at Pakistan’s UN Mission, said during a UNSC meeting on small arms and light weapons management.​
“Pakistan is concerned at the acquisition and use of modern and sophisticated illicit arms by terrorist groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, a UN-listed terrorist organization, which operates with impunity from Afghanistan, as well as the so-called Baloch Liberation Army and Majeed Brigade,” he added.​
Raza noted these militant groups possessed lethal weapons left in Afghanistan that were now used against civilians and Pakistan’s armed forces.
“We call upon our international partners to recover the vast stockpile of abandoned weapons, prevent their access to armed groups and take measures to close this thriving black market of illicit arms,” he added.
Pakistan has witnessed a significant uptick in militant violence in its western provinces bordering Afghanistan in recent years.
The Pakistani diplomat asserted that militants receive external support and financing from Pakistan’s “principal adversary,” alluding to India.​
He also highlighted that the evolving nature of warfare and new technologies posed challenges in combating the proliferation of increasingly lethal small arms.
“Criminal groups and terrorists are leveraging new technologies such as cryptocurrency for anonymous transactions by using the dark web to evade detection,” Raza said, adding that these technologies also offered more tools to law enforcement to address the situation.​


Pakistan forms committee to assess impact of US tariffs, craft policy response

Updated 05 April 2025
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Pakistan forms committee to assess impact of US tariffs, craft policy response

  • President Trump announced ‘reciprocal tariffs’ on several countries this week, including a 29 percent levy on Pakistani goods
  • The move is expected to hit Pakistan’s textile sector and undermine the country’s efforts to stabilize its fragile economy

KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a high-level steering committee led by the finance chief to assess the impact of a 29 percent tariff imposed by the United States on Pakistani goods and devise a policy response, according to a government notification this week.
The development follows US President Donald Trump’s announcement Wednesday of “reciprocal tariffs” on several countries, a move widely seen as a blow to the global economy still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump defended the decision as necessary to correct trade imbalances and what he described as unfair treatment of American goods abroad.
Pakistan’s inclusion in the list of affected nations is of particular concern as the South Asian nation is seeking to boost its export-led growth. The US remains Pakistan’s top export destination, and the imposition of the 29 percent tariff threatens to undercut Islamabad’s fragile recovery efforts.
“Prime Minister has been pleased to constitute steering committee for in-depth analysis and policy responses to recently announced US Reciprocal Tariffs,” read a notification issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday.
The committee, chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, will supervise a working group led by the commerce secretary and finalize policy recommendations.
It will also be responsible for engaging with US officials as needed and updating the prime minister on related developments and initiatives.
According to data from Pakistan’s central bank, the country exported $5.44 billion worth of goods to the US last year.
During the current fiscal, exports to the US reached $4 billion from July 2024 to February 2025, up 10 percent from the same period the previous year.
Textiles account for nearly 90 percent of Pakistan’s exports to the US and are expected to be hardest hit by the new tariffs.
Officials fear the increased cost burden could weaken Pakistan’s position in its main overseas markets, especially if competitors like China, Bangladesh and Vietnam begin diverting goods to Europe after facing steeper tariffs in the US.
The tariff decision is also expected to hamper Pakistan’s broader efforts to stabilize its economy with the support of International Monetary Fund programs.
Global financial markets fell sharply on Friday after China vowed to retaliate with 34 percent tariffs on American goods, raising concerns of an escalating trade war and potential global recession.


New Zealand hammer Pakistan by 43 runs to sweep ODI series 3-0

Updated 48 min 18 sec ago
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New Zealand hammer Pakistan by 43 runs to sweep ODI series 3-0

  • Babar Azam top-scored for Pakistan with 50 off 58 balls, though it wasn’t enough to turn the match around
  • Pakistan suffered an early blow when Imam-ul-Haq retired hurt after being hit on the jaw during a quick single

MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand: Pakistan’s brittle batting was exposed again as a Ben Sears-inspired New Zealand won the third and final one-day international by 43 runs Saturday to sweep the series 3-0.
The tourists were dismissed for 221 off 40 overs in response to New Zealand’s 264-8, in a match shortened to 42 overs after a delayed start at Mount Maunganui.
It followed the pattern of the first two games, with the hosts winning the opener in Napier by 73 runs, followed by an 84-run victory in Hamilton.
New Zealand also dominated the preceding T20 series, winning 4-1.

New Zealand players celebrate the wicket of Pakistan Usman Khan during the third one day international (ODI) cricket match between New Zealand and Pakistan at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on April 5, 2025. (AFP)

Pakistan struggled throughout the tour to adjust to the sustained bounce and movement of New Zealand’s seam attack and their batsmen were again guilty of rash shots at Bay Oval.
Aggressive pace bowler Sears claimed 5-34 to follow his five-wicket bag in Hamilton, with four of his victims falling to short-pitched deliveries.
Fellow seamer Jacob Duffy, who was a handful in both series, took 2-40, including the wicket of Mohammad Rizwan for 37 in the 33rd over to effectively end the tourists’ hopes of victory.

Pakistani opening batsman Abdullah Shafiq bats during the third one day international (ODI) cricket match between New Zealand and Pakistan at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on April 5, 2025. (AFP)

Babar Azam top-scored with 50 off 58 balls while opener Abdullah Shafique ground out a sluggish 33 off 56.

Pakistan’s innings began badly when opener Imam-ul-Haq was forced to retire hurt for one, having been struck on the jaw by a fielder’s throw when attempting a quick single.
Earlier, Rhys Mariu scored a maiden half-century after New Zealand were asked to bat first, with the start of the match delayed for two hours because of a wet outfield.
Opener Mariu, playing just his second international match, scored a composed 58 off 61 balls, featuring six fours and two sixes.

New Zealand’s Rhys Mariu bats during the third one day international (ODI) cricket match against Pakistan at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, on April 5, 2025. (AFP)

A number of New Zealand middle-order batsmen made starts but didn’t press on for big scores until captain Michael Bracewell produced a flashy 59 at the death.
Bracewell struck six sixes in his 40-ball knock before being caught off the last ball of the innings bowled by Akif Javed.
Seamer Javed took 4-62 off his eight overs although Naseem Shah was arguably the best of the Pakistan bowlers, taking 2-54 and bowling with good pace and movement.