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Pakistan

Pakistanis Go Green To Counter The Red-Hot Sun

In Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, a site that was an illegal landfill has been transformed into a lush, green haven. It is one of dozens of state-owned and private planting initiatives in Pakistan, where forest cover that helps cool the Earth lags far behind average levels across South Asia.

A worker prepares planting bags for seedling plants. Forest cover in Pakistan is approximately 5.4 percent, according to Syed Kamran Hussain of the World Wide Fund for Nature, compared to 24 percent in neighboring India and 14.5 percent in Bangladesh. High temperatures, water runoff, and poor air quality are all caused by Pakistan's lack of forest cover. To remedy the situation, both state-owned and private initiatives have been launched.  
1 A worker prepares planting bags for seedling plants.

Forest cover in Pakistan is approximately 5.4 percent, according to Syed Kamran Hussain of the World Wide Fund for Nature, compared to 24 percent in neighboring India and 14.5 percent in Bangladesh. High temperatures, water runoff, and poor air quality are all caused by Pakistan's lack of forest cover. To remedy the situation, both state-owned and private initiatives have been launched.
 
One such initiative is the Clifton Urban Forest, which was built on the site of an illegal landfill. In this image from May 2021, employees are seen combining soil, molasses, and sand to make a small pond.  
2 One such initiative is the Clifton Urban Forest, which was built on the site of an illegal landfill. In this image from May 2021, employees are seen combining soil, molasses, and sand to make a small pond.
 
Masood Lohar, founder and director of the Clifton Urban Forest, examines the trash-strewn soil in May 2021. According to Lohar, the absence of trees is "turning the city into hell," and that afforestation could make Karachi more resilient to natural disasters and attract wildlife. 
3 Masood Lohar, founder and director of the Clifton Urban Forest, examines the trash-strewn soil in May 2021. According to Lohar, the absence of trees is "turning the city into hell," and that afforestation could make Karachi more resilient to natural disasters and attract wildlife. 
With the help of authorities, the community, and volunteers, the once-illegal dumping ground has been transformed into an urban forest.
4 With the help of authorities, the community, and volunteers, the once-illegal dumping ground has been transformed into an urban forest.
Mulazim Hussain, a farmer who works at the initiative, waters the plants. Hussain recalls a time a few years ago when the area was a giant, illegal landfill. "Now there is greenery and happiness. Children come in the evening to play. People come to walk," he says.     
5 Mulazim Hussain, a farmer who works at the initiative, waters the plants. Hussain recalls a time a few years ago when the area was a giant, illegal landfill. "Now there is greenery and happiness. Children come in the evening to play. People come to walk," he says.   




 
Hussain shows off aubergines that grew on land that was formerly an illegal landfill.
6 Hussain shows off aubergines that grew on land that was formerly an illegal landfill.
"I have raised these plants like my children over the last four years," Hussain adds, while taking a break from his labors amid a fierce summer heatwave.
7 "I have raised these plants like my children over the last four years," Hussain adds, while taking a break from his labors amid a fierce summer heatwave.
A picture taken in June 2022 captures the transformation as the greenery of trees and plants now obscures part of the Karachi skyline, welcoming insects and varieties of birds and animals who now live there.
8 A picture taken in June 2022 captures the transformation as the greenery of trees and plants now obscures part of the Karachi skyline, welcoming insects and varieties of birds and animals who now live there.
Pink flamingos flutter past the new palm trees at the Clifton Urban Forest in June 2022.  
9 Pink flamingos flutter past the new palm trees at the Clifton Urban Forest in June 2022.

 
Lohar shows eggs laid by moorhen in July 2022. Whether to plant trees is not a simple question. The benefits are not always clear and significant investment is needed to nurture saplings into fully grown trees. "What is missing from urban forestry is a holistic approach to the environment," said Usman Ashraf, a doctoral researcher in development studies at the University of Helsinki. He was not commenting specifically on the Karachi project, however. "It's about visual success, the numbers, small patches here and there. It won't even make a dent on any of the environmental harm in these cities."
10 Lohar shows eggs laid by moorhen in July 2022.

Whether to plant trees is not a simple question. The benefits are not always clear and significant investment is needed to nurture saplings into fully grown trees.

"What is missing from urban forestry is a holistic approach to the environment," said Usman Ashraf, a doctoral researcher in development studies at the University of Helsinki. He was not commenting specifically on the Karachi project, however. "It's about visual success, the numbers, small patches here and there. It won't even make a dent on any of the environmental harm in these cities."
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