Punjab secures active role in COP30

CM claims acknowledgment of smog mitigation efforts

LAHORE:

Punjab will formally participate in the global COP30 Conference on climate change for the first rather than attending the event as an observer.

Speaking to the media during a stopover in London on her way to attend the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Brazil, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said the province's flagship environmental projects will be presented at the global forum. She said, "Suthra Punjab is one of the world's most organised waste management programmes."

She added that the Punjab government had launched e-mobility, electric buses and bikes projects across the province. She outlined, "Our transport system is gradually shifting to green energy,"

The chief minister said significant progress had been made in tourism, wildlife conservation and environmental protection.

She said the world was acknowledging the Punjab government's efforts to mitigate smog. Replying to a question, she termed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif her mentor. She said she had not faced any difficulty as chief minister.

"We are working as a team-oriented government and this spirit of collaboration is being appreciated by the people across Punjab," the chief minister asserted.

Banyan replanted

Meanwhile, the Punjab Forest Department replanted a 50-year-old banyan tree that had fallen due to strong winds near Haveli Cheetu Wali in Kahna.

The massive tree, which once stood tall along a canal bank, was uprooted by heavy gusts and water erosion.

According to local residents, the tree was a symbol of endurance, planted half a century ago by the late husband of an elderly villager, Majeedan Bibi.

For the woman, the fallen tree was more than a loss of shade. It felt like losing the last living link to her past. "When it fell, I felt as if my life had collapsed with it," she said, recalling how she and her children sat beside the fallen giant for hours, weeping.

But on Friday, as a crane began lifting the massive trunk back into position, her tears turned into joy. As the banyan slowly regained its upright stance, the village children who had grown up playing under its shadow began chanting "Pakistan Zindabad".

The operation was led by environmental activist Abdul Basit Baloch in collaboration with officers of the forest department.

"When I learned the old banyan had fallen due to water and wind, I immediately contacted the department," Baloch said.

"With the help of cranes and forestry experts, we managed to replant it at the same spot. Some branches had to be trimmed to stabilise its roots. We treated the cuts with turmeric paste and wrapped them in cloth to encourage new growth. A healthy tree provides oxygen for 37 people - so in saving this one, we've saved 37 lives," he added.

Central Punjab Forests Chief Conservator Saqib Mahmood shared that modern technology has made tree relocation feasible. "Banyans are among the longest-living trees. They purify air, generate oxygen, and help combat smog. Over the past few years, dozens of fallen or threatened trees have been safely relocated and are thriving again," he said.

Sub-Divisional Forest Officer Ayesha Nawaz added that the banyan is a living symbol of the region's history and heritage. "Its aerial roots grow downwards to form new trunks representing the continuity and regeneration of life," she explained.